Can I add a new chick with a 3wk old? PLEASE Read

[peafowlmom]

My silkie just hatched!!

I have a EE/bantam in brooder. It is 3 weeks today. Can I add this new baby? How soon do I give the new chick food. I messed up with the last one. I have a memory problem, REALLY. How long do I keep this chick in the incubator/hatcher?

By the way, I have 4 more eggs still in brooder. This is day 22. I had problems with temperatures, too many thermometers!

ANY HELP is greatly appreciated!

 

[Wolftalk]

Id keep em seprate, and id keep them in there till its fluffy, or untill another chick hatches. just make sure the temp. is right. the chick should have food availible right away. Hope i could help!!! Good Luck!!

 

[pulletmom#1]

hey peafowlmom, i dont know for sure about 3 weeks but, i put in my new baby silkie with a 9 day old blk sexlink so she wouldnt be alone and they are best of friends now. i just kept an eye on them to make sure they wouldnt get hurt.the older one is over two weeks now. id make sure your baby is up running around first and maybe use a red brooder light to help calm them from pecking. hope it works out for ya let me know k? ps. make sure the baby is completly dry before going in the brooder

 

[SilkiesBySloan]

I would not add different age chicks in with any older ones until the new chick is at least a week old. Even then I would not put it with chicks more than a week older than itself. I would not offer food for at least 24 hours. I leave mine in the hatcher for 24 hours.

 

[dandydoodle]

I would just leave the baby in the bator for now. Just in case one of your other eggs is pipping you aren't suppose to open the bator. The baby doesn't have to have food or water for three days because, they absorb the egg yolk and provides them with everything they need for 3 days. At least this is what I have been told. :0) If no one has hatched in the next three days I might try to put them together if its just the two of them, just keep a close eye for the first day or so. I have some babies in together that had about a 2 week difference my little ones were about a week old when I put them in. I did this a couple of weeks ago and everyone is okay. I think the key is just to make sure everyone gets along, if they do they will be best friends in no time.

Hope this helps.

Good luck.

 

[rarely bored]

You could add the one and watch to see if they bond. I mixed new hatches with 3 week olds and the 3 week old pullet turned into a broody mom... (in a snuggly type way). But I don't think most 3 week olds have the desire to snuggle with the newly hatched.

 

[cmom]

You can try and see how it goes but I would wait until the new chicks are at least a week old. The new chicks do require more heat than the 3 week old ones do.

 

[eggdd]

i just put newly hatched chicks with a group of 2 1/2 week olds. they were fine - - immediately cuddled up. the internet is dramatic. i say try it and see how it goes. you can always take him/her out if needed. not a biggie. i'm sure it'll be fine.

i do agree with keeping the chick in the incubator for 24 hours. let them get dry and rested from their big hatching job. it's hard work. besides, a newly hatched chick isn't going to eat/drink even if it's right in front of its face. my chicks usually won't eat until the late in the second day or the third day.

 

[QuackerJackFarms]

I just went through this. I ended up separating them with a cookie rack. So they could see each other but not touch each other. It gave them some time to get used to each other.

 

[aaggjg]

When I got my chicks the breeder told me that I would be fine adding new chicks up to the age of 3 weeks... I really wanted a silkie and they were out. So at 3 weeks I added a Silkie. Who was SO SMALL in comparison to the other 3 (2 bantams and 1 LF) that he got the name Tiny. The gang of 3 chicks were scared of Tiny but Tiny just wanted to go join the group and was a very brave little chick. I watched them for awhile and then let them be checking back every every 10-15 mins at first and then 30 mins... etc etc... They became friends very quickly and are now a happy gang of four. Since your 1 chick is alone I would expect it will be very happy for a buddy.