chicks of different ages together?

mlove

Songster
9 Years
Feb 25, 2010
403
9
119
tx
Can you keep fresh hatched chicks in the same brooder with week old chicks? I'm thinking that it's not a good idea because newborn chicks are too fragile but my husband said it should be fine. I have eggs in the incubator that will hopefully hatch this weekend and a local person has a few silkie chicks that hatched a few days ago. I have not agreed to buy any of their chicks yet since I really don't have room for 2 separate brooders.
 
I've mixed chicks as much as 3.5 weeks difference in ages. I did it in stages, by adding 3-day old chicks to those a week old, then a week later another few babies, and then a couple more babies nearly a month after the first chicks I got.

It works out fine. You might have to put a second waterer down for the littlest, if the bigger ones initially hog the waterer. If the feeder is one of those long, metal or plastic ones with holes in it, the littles can probably get to the food okay; otherwise, you might need a second feeder just for a while.
 
I may have to go buy a few then. I was trying to be good but I'm so tempted.
jumpy.gif
 
I received some day old chicks from McMurray hatchery on May 23rd and then I received some 2 day old chicks on May 31st from McMurray hatchery and I put those in with the ones I received the week before and not a one of the week old chicks bothered the new chicks. Now the younger chicks are gonna be 2 weeks old by the time my chicks hatches this weekend (hopefully they hatch) and I fully intend to put the new chicks in with the 2 and 3 week old chicks and I really don't think its gonna be a problem. Now I have some new hampshire chicks that are 6 weeks old that I wouldn't let be around any of the other chicks because there is a drastic size difference. Really I have been told on here that it doesn't matter about the age what matters is the size difference.
 
I have mixed them up to a couple of weeks. Two things I do. Keep mixing in a few here and there, it seems to get them used to having new birds come in. The other is I'll leave the newer chicks in the incubator longer til they are good and strong and maybe even start them in another brooder for a day or so. In my experience when I have a lot of birds in my brooder if the chicks I introduce are too weak they get trampled.
 

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