Can I introduce 1 day old chicks to a group of six 10-14 day olds?

[alhanse77]

We currently have 2 SLWs, one BO(maybe), one BR, one BA and one EE that are approximately 10-14 days old. We want to get 1 or 2 more chicks. Can we introduce younger chicks to the slightly older bunch of chicks? Thanks!

 

[scfire]

That is the exact question I was going to ask. I am getting 7 in a few weeks and 2 more two weeks later. My local farm store is not getting the breeds I want in at the same time.

 

[tinydancer87]

I have mixed in those ages before, as long as they are all large breeds. Everybody seemed to get along fine, the smaller chicks cuddle under the big ones, lol.

 

[gryeyes]

I have put chicks of different ages together, as much as three weeks apart in age. I kept an eye on the group with the greatest difference but they integrated just as well as other chicks only two weeks different in age. Another time I had bantam chicks a week old and I put new chicks in with them - that worked really well because the bantams were their size AND were very able to move around by then, as "masters" of the brooder.

 

[missydcpc]

We just did that. Funnily, we brought 3 leghorns and 3 red pullets in with 3 10 day old barred rocks. The BRs picked on the reds. 3 days later, we brought on 3 speckled Sussex. The BRs didn't even react to the newbies.

 

[CarolJ]

I just did that, too - put 2-day olds in with almost 4-week olds. Even though the older ones are easily two or three times the size of the babies, they all cuddle together. The little ones walk over the big ones when they're lying down. It's funny! I knew I wanted them to be a flock together, and I figured there was no reason to wait.

I have to add, though, that when I first put them together, I pulled up a chair and watched them for well over an hour to make sure that they were doing okay - and I still check on them frequently.

 

[Mudpuddle]

I put 2 different hatches together then added some day old babies 8days later, my first hatch towers over the rest but they all get along swimmingly ^_^

 

[ladyfaeden]

I put each weeks hatch in the brooder and move them out at about 3 weeks old into a larger space. I haven't had issues with big chicks picking on the little ones. The new chicks mimic what the larger ones are doing-so they figure out quickly where to get food and water. I have LF and bantams and the only thing I do differently with the bantams is to leave them in the small brooder longer-sometimes up to five weeks old.

 

[Remudamom]

Wow, I bought some two week old chicks(jersey giants, favorelles and a RIR) with some two day old chicks(welsummers and barred rocks) and the little ones were getting pummeled. They had plenty of room but the younger ones wouldn't have survived if I hadn't had two different brooders. Once they were a bit older there was no problem.

 

[silkiechicken]

As long as the "day olds" have their feet and are up and running, there should be no problem. I would't put a true day old chick with two week old birds, but by 3 days old, in they go.