Can you mix chicks?

[catsew]

I have 2 chicks right now, they're just over a week old. They are just regular laying type chickens, I don't know the actual breed since they were bred out of a mixed coop of chickens. But somebody has 2 bantams that need a home. They are also about the same age. Can I put all the chicks together? They're currently in a brooder type thing with the heat lamp, etc.
Both sets of chicks were incubator hatched out of a friends house, not commercially bought or anything. I am worried about them getting each other sick, but if they all came from the type of situation, I'm guessing the chance for disease should be less?

And assuming you can mix them, can you put bantams with regular chickens?

 

[JodyJo]

you may want to keep them separate for a few days, just to make sure the others are mite/parasite free...most likely they are fine. I will be doing the same thing in 2 days, adding some new babies to my 9 week olds...but keeping them inside till they are older and able to be mixed in...good luck!

 

[gryeyes]

Yup, you can mix 'em. I have both bantam and LF chickens in my flock, and have brooded them together just fine. At the age you mention, I wouldn't even quarantine them - but that's just ME.

 

[catsew]

Thank you. I'll let you know how it goes if/when it does happen.

One more question if anybody comes back to this. But can there be such a thing as too big of a coop?
We're hoping in the end for around 20 chickens, a couple roosters in that number. Is it ok now to build the coop for that many future chickens even though there would only be 2-4 out there right now? (or in several more weeks technically). So the idea is to build it for the future so we aren't doing it twice.

 

[gryeyes]

Yup. Especially this time of year when it's so very warm. If it were winter, I would suggest building a smaller section - perhaps out of cardboard - to keep body heat more easily confined for warmth. But will all the space, in hot weather, they'll be just fine.

Congrats for planning ahead - this is not usually the case! (I speak for myself but have read many other posts about folks needing coop extensions, additions, and even new construction.)

 

[greenbottle27]

Quote:
catsew - good questions as I was thinking the same thing.... If I get 2 standards, can I get 1 bantam? Or should I really get 2 bans? All the same age of course... If not, I just need tostick with the 2 standards.

Thanks!

 

[cmom]

I would put them together. The younger the better. Just my opinion.

 

[catsew]

Thanks. I should find out today if we are getting them or not.

I don't really know anything about chickens other than what I've read on here, but I would get at least 2 of each kind so they have a friend. Its probably more for me than for them, but 2 is a good number.