Chicks of different ages

[Hollylou42]

I am in need of some advice, but husband thinks I'm crazy but I am new to this chicken business and I want to do things right!
I live in Orlando and we're part of a urban chicken pilot program the city is testing out to see if they will allow chickens in Orlando. We are allowed in the program to have three hens. I started with 3, various breeds and now I have only two 4 week old chicks left, having just lost one to cocci. Once these gals are done with their Corid doses, I want to get another chick as soon as possible to maintain my 3 chicken allotment.
Now, I have two options for another bird, a day old chick or a 9 week old chick. The gal that died was the dominant chick of the group so I was thinking maybe the 9 week old option would be better? Or would a day old chick be easier to integrate into the gals I already have? Also, my current gals live in the brooder bin still, being to young to be outside just yet. Which could pose a problem with the 9 week old addition being too old for the brooder, or a day old chick not being ready to move to the coop in a few weeks when these gals are ready.
Geesh, who knew having chickens would be so hard?
Any advice would be great, or perhaps my husband is right and I am worrying too much about this. In that case maybe just a response to soothe my mind

 

[Bunnylady]

As you have no doubt noticed, chicks grow pretty fast. Month-old chicks are a great deal larger than day-olds. I'd be really afraid that a single day old chick might be bullied to death by a couple of chicks that much bigger and stronger than it is. Of the two choices, I'd prefer a single older bird to a single younger one, since you can only have three (gads, that must be sooooooo hard!)

 

[Hollylou42]

Thanks for the advice Bunny, I think we're going to go with the older bird but not get it for another 2 weeks or so when our current girls are old enough to go outside to the coop. Then all three can go in together.

I know! 3 birds is hard, I figure if the city is going to allow 3 birds, whats the difference between that and 5 or 7? Maybe the rules will change when this pilot program is over. For now, I just want to do my best with them so that the city actually sees urban chickens as a good idea.