Can we add a 2 week old chick to newly hatched chicks?

[Sabrina24]

Our hen is on day 16 of sitting on 6 eggs. I just found out my aunt has a week old chick that she doesn't want (only 1 of her 4 hatched and she doesn't want to wait to introduce just 1). We thought it would be smarter to wait until the chicks hatch before introducing it, but I thought I'd ask if here if we were likely to have problems introducing a 2 week old chick to a new mom/babies.

 

[Outpost JWB]

The broody hen is probably not going to accept it. But she might. If she does, the new chick might peck on the babies. You can always try it and just watch very closely, the 1st sign of aggression, pull it. I would put it in an individual brooder box for about a month and then try to introduce it.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

If you introduce a two week old chick into a clutch of newly hatched chicks and the mama hen has already seen her just hatched children and bonded to them, the hen may make the older chicks life a living H E double Tooth Picks and at worst she may kill the older chick outright. Chickens are wild animals at heart and they share absolutely none of the compassion or kindness that supposedly motivates us humans. Don't be fooled by those cute feed store calendars, when it suits them chickens are just as blood thirsty and cruel as any other species, those fuzzy baby chickens on the feed store calendars not withstanding. The worst thing that could happen is for the hen to accept the older chick and then that chick kill your younger chicks. Lastly everything may go swell but I would not advise you to bet that way. Sorry. My advise is to brood the older chick by its self.

 

[Sabrina24]

I'm really not interested in keeping him separated for an entire month. Unless someone has another suggestion I may have to tell my aunt I cannot take it. I feel bad, but I've got enough on my plate at this time. Thanks for the comments, I truly appreciate the honesty.

 

[azygous]

There is another option. You can brood the lone chick alongside the broody and her chicks but separate so no one gets injured but everyone bonds.

Understand that chicks have a powerful urge, driven by survival instinct, to want to snuggle with other chicks. They will try to get to other chicks to do this, and will be chirping non-stop trying to call other chicks to come to them. Part of this urge can be satisfied by just seeing the other chicks. But if it has a snuggly, warm heating pad cave stuffed with rolled socks, it may have the snuggling urge satisfied, also.

The heating pad system is easy and safe and preferable to a heat lamp, especially when dealing with chicks in the same vicinity who have different heat needs. Read Blooie's thread on Mama Heating Pad for details.

 

[Sabrina24]

Good news for me! My aunt was getting tired of cleaning the broody box and decided to try introducing the mama and chick to her flock and it went great! The mama taught him how to dust bathe and sharpen his beak within minutes. She fought off some of the hens and after awhile the baby even chased the rooster from his chick food! Then she taught him to climb the ramp into the coop. Couldn't have gone better! Thank you for all your help with this guys, I really appreciate it!