Chicks will be four or five days apart...

[Garden Gal]

I had ordered two batches of eggs off of eBay expecting them to be shipped within a day of each other. Well... one batch was not shipped until July 2 and of course with the holiday weekend, did not arrive until today, four days after the other batch was set in the incubator. I have a separate incubator up and ready for this second batch, but my question is in regard to putting the new babies in the brooder with 4 day old chicks. I've read to do this at night when the older guys will hopefully be asleep, etc... Am I better off to not incubate this second group at all, or go ahead and forge ahead and then just add them to the brooder all together?

(I could make a separate brooder, but they would still have to be introduced when going into the coop...) THANKS in advance for the input.

 

[Mahonri]

Forge ahead. Four days is close enough to mix them.

 

[JennsPeeps]

Incubate those babies!

I've found that it's easier to integrate young birds with young birds. 4-5 days is not a huge difference. Keep them apart for the first few days until the youngest ones are gaining confidence and stength, then they shoudl be fine together.

 

[Garden Gal]

They are going in the bator right now! Thanks!