Combining chicks of different ages?

[hd_darcy]

Okay, so I had a bad hatch that I did with my incubator nearly two weeks ago. I ended up with ONE d'uccle. The chick is doing just fine, and doesn't chirp too much for being a solo. I have close to 20 other chickens outside....and two babies that just hatched today. My plan was to bring in a baby for my lonely one, but I was thinking they were going to hatch last week. Now there will be about 2 weeks age difference between them. What would be better? Combine them so my solo chick has friends? Or let the other chicks stay with their mom in the coop? The ones that just hatched are also bantams.. (cochin or cochin mix). Thank you!

 

[hd_darcy]

Anyone?

 

[fshinggrl]

I think the biggest issue you'd have is that the 2 week old has been alone with no other chicks. I combined two batches, that were 2 weeks apart and there was no issue. The two week older ones had been in a bin mixed with younger ones and there were no issues ahead of time. I'd bring them in so that there is a controlled environment and watch carefully. Good luck!

 

[Judy]

I have read several times that it is usually safe to mix them if they are all under 4 weeks -- and I've done it once or twice.

 

[Opa]

Personally I think I would keep the lone chick separate until you can place it with birds of approximately the same size. I know a lot of folks advocate mixing their flocks as soon as possible but I think the risk just isn't worth the inconvience. I'd wait the two months and then add it to a flock.

 

[hd_darcy]

Thank you for the thoughts and replies. I brought one in and put it with my other baby and my d'uccle baby wasn't very nice. The new baby is just sooo tiny and fragile so I took it back out. Maybe I will try again in a couple of days. I have the d'uccle in the house, so I could surely keep a close eye on them too. Meanwhile I put mama hen w/ the new babies in a bigger nestbox (but one she can't get out of), and played musical eggs sharing w/ the other hens who keep getting their nest boxes stole..LOL... Right now, it appears, I have 4 broodies..out of my 4 hens!