Combining 2 Week Olds with 6 Week Olds?

[hawkeyext]

Hello, a hatchery sent us baby chicks on December 16th and unfortunately we lost many from the batch upon delivery. They are now sending over more on January 16th. I'm hoping by 2-3 weeks of age I can combine them together but wondering if anyone has any experience with this before. Due to our limited space we'd like to combine them ASAP.

I've merged adults together, but never baby chicks this young.

Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[Alaskan]

Eh.... a 4 week gap is a bit tricky. 2 weeks or less of an age difference is easier.

But yes, after the new set is about 2 weeks old, you might be able to put them together.... very carefully... if they can have some "see but don't touch" time first, that will help.

 

[Ridgerunner]

My chickens are not consistent enough that I can say what will happen. That's the way it is when you deal with living animals, you don't know how different ones will behave even under the same conditions. I had a two week old kill it's sibling. A broody hen hatched them together and had been raising them together, then stood by as one killed the other. You don't have to have an age difference or them to be strangers to have a problem.

Sometimes you can put them together and they get along, even with age differences. When I try that they have been "see but don't touch" for a while, I think that helps a lot, but even that is not always necessary. I also think the more room you have the better your chances of success.

I don't know what your facilities are like where you plan to try it. By the end of January your older ones should be able to handle your weather so that might give you some flexibility. That might involve integrating them with older birds. My general suggestion is to try it when you can observe but have a Plan B ready. Sometimes it can be that easy, sometimes not. There is only one way to find out.

 

[mcdze]

i think you probably can but what i would do personally is the older ones will likely already be on a routine with the coop and run and you got babies in the brooder box .. i wouldnt just dump them in ... i'd introduce them into the run in the afternoon and shut the coop and just watch and make sure they do alright and at night back in the box ... i'd do that for maybe a week and reassess .. open the coop and see how it goes ...

 

[NatJ]

Hello, a hatchery sent us baby chicks on December 16th and unfortunately we lost many from the batch upon delivery. They are now sending over more on January 16th. I'm hoping by 2-3 weeks of age I can combine them together but wondering if anyone has any experience with this before. Due to our limited space we'd like to combine them ASAP.

How many of the older ones?
How many little ones will there be?
It will probably be easier if there are more little ones than big ones.

With that much age difference, you might be able to have them all in one big brooder (or brood them in the coop), with a divider down the middle that lets little ones through but not big ones. Almost like see-no-touch, but with the little ones able to join the big ones whenever they want to. That would let them get familiar with each other quickly, while still giving the younger ones a place to get away and be safe. Of course, you would need to make sure each group had food, water, and the right amount of warmth.

I'm guessing wire mesh with 2" holes might be a good size for the divider, but you'd have to try stuffing a chick through to see

 

[hawkeyext]

Hi Nat J,

We have 290 that will be 4 weeks old on the 16th, and 65 coming the end of this week. We're a small farm trying to expand our flock.

Our heated brooder is in an unheated greenhouse. We just started letting the older ones out of the brooder and into the unheated GH during the day, but unfortunately it's still too cold to leave them out at night. I think we'll try to add heat lamps outside the brooder to see if some older ones go and stay outside, and provide the younger ones some designated brooder space with the wire mesh...

 

[NatJ]

Our heated brooder is in an unheated greenhouse. We just started letting the older ones out of the brooder and into the unheated GH during the day, but unfortunately it's still too cold to leave them out at night. I think we'll try to add heat lamps outside the brooder to see if some older ones go and stay outside, and provide the younger ones some designated brooder space with the wire mesh...

I'm guessing that will work fairly well. Lots of space always helps, and that many chicks might make it easier too.

When people try to combine just a few chicks of each age, it's fairly common for a single chick to get picked on by all the others--but with that many, they'll have more trouble focusing on any given individual.

If you have a wire mesh that will let the little ones through but not the big ones, it may make this easier. Otherwise, just separate them with wire mesh than none can get through, and try taking the mesh down in a week or so (once the younger ones are good at running fast.)

Make sure there are plenty of feed & water locations, but you probably already know that

 

[Newyorkrita]

We have 290 that will be 4 weeks old on the 16th, and 65 coming the end of this week. We're a small farm trying to expand our flock.

So awesome. That should make just an awesome flock.

 

[hawkeyext]

Thanks everyone!