Can I put new 3 week old's with 6 week olds???

[samandemsmommy]

What's your thoughts? I have some that will be 6 weeks this coming week and Sunday I am picking up some 3 week olds....would it be ok to keep the littlest ones in a dog crate inside the coop so they can be around the others, but not able to be gotten to? These 3 week olds currently live outside with their momma and have never been in a brooder before.

 

[Wyandottes7]

Many times, chicks with several weeks between their ages do just fine. I've put eight week old birds with 5-6 week old birds together, for example. If you were to decide to do this, it MAY work out. But, you'd have to watch for picking by the older birds.

But, in your scenario, I wouldn't introduce them right away. The 6 week olds have been living in a different place and among fewer birds than the three week olds. You could introduce disease to the older chicks before they are ready. They haven't built up the same immunities as the younger chicks.

I would keep the two groups isolated from each other for at least a couple of weeks, so that you can monitor them.

 

[tntchix]

I agree with Wyandotte, even though I bought two different sets of chicks all within a month of each other, they all came from hatchery so didn't really "live" anywhere else to pick up anything. Good luck, soon they will all be running around together.