big problem - introducing 1 new chick with others?

[erindubb]

We have three chicks - all about 4 or 5 weeks old. I have two bantams and one BR. They are still in my garage - although it's so hot outside (90) that I am pretty sure I can move them to the coop soon since they are outgrowing the 'brooder'. I really have no idea what I am doing - but it seems to me that one of them is a rooster. They farm I got them from said I could bring the rooster back and exchange it for a new chick (3 days old). They can't sex it - so I am just hoping this one will be a girl. My question is - will the older ones peck the new one to death? They already peck the littlest one of the three of them and they are all the same age - they actually pecked all her feathers from one foot - (booted bantam). So, I am a little worried for the new one. Also, if the older ones are ready to go outside and then I get a new one - won't it be lonely in the garage alone? And then introducing it to the others outside in a month will be even worse? Ahhh. How do you guys do this when you get new chicks?
Thanks for any and all advice.

 

[Yardbirds286]

I am going through this right now. See my post called... this is not going so well. Can you get a chick from them that is a bit older? Size is what matters with chicks. I am learning that the hard way.

 

[NewHen]

I just introduced my little chicks to my older ones (about 3 months difference in age). At first I left the little ones in their plastic brooder outside and let the bigger ones approach. I let the little ones out with the big ones little by little and than this past week they're all together. At first the bigger ones were quite curious but now they mostly ignore them. Every once in awhile a bigger one will peck out or flap at a small one, but generally they just ignore each other. The problem I have had is keeping the chick waterer and feeder in there and not having the bigger ones tipping them over.

 

[maryrob]

i am a bit out of practice with my chickens
it has been over 30 yrs
not sure how my grandmother did it but now it is my turn
my question is Why does my older chick peck off the thing that is on the forehead of the other chicks(cant remember right now what it is called--sorry)
Is it showing domination over the younger ones?

she is 4 weeks older that the other 4 but they dont seem to mind cause i think they think she is their mother
will those things grow back ?

 

[pkw]

I have some eggs due to hatch anywhere from the 12th to the 14th. Those chicks that do hatch I am confident I can safely add to my one to two week old chicks. I have some chicks that are now 5 weeks old that I can't even add to my two week olds. I see how the older chicks are with each other and I just can't imagine my little chicks being in with the older ones. There is too big of a size difference going on there.

 

[cletus the rooster]

in my experience size is a big deal and after about two weeks i dont suggest putting dayolds in with the older chicks there is a good chance they will pick on it because they are alot smaller you also run the risk of them being squished by the slightly larger birds (i learned the hard way)

aquariums make good brooders to so if you have an old one i suggest that you put the newby in that and place it next to your brooder (i did that with my brs and my guineas and now my guineas think they are chickens and the coop is a peaceful place) that way they can see each other and get used to each other and the chick wont be so lonely