Crazy idea, should I go for it?

pixy

In the Brooder
9 Years
Nov 1, 2010
34
0
22
Jersey
I have an order in at McMurray for 25 chicks, the rainbow egg layer variety, I am setting up my brooder next week and they will be here the following week. Now here is my crazy idea. I really wanted to get some silkies with my McMurray order but they won't ship until spring, I was sad but I figured I'd have my hands full with the eggers anyway. So this week the place I get my eggs from put up a sign... BABY CHICKS FOR SALE!!!! They have silkies and bantam chicks! I want so bad to go pick up a couple of each to pop in the brooder with the others, am I nuts or would it be ok? The silkie and bantam chicks (I was thinking 3 of each) would be a week or two older than the others, will they pick on the noobs? I can divide them, I have 2 bulbs/feeders/waterers. Is 30+ chicks just nuts for a first time chicken mom? Oh I really want silkies!
 
Wow, Pixy! That's alot of chicks for a new chicken person, but if you have the room for them as adults, you'll be OK. Are you in a warm climate? Here in Ohio, I brood my chicks in a brooder in the basement because it's just too cold to have them outside. I don't like to put them in the garage because it's not secure enough, plus if the power goes out, all the little ones would freeze.

I have a flock of 17 right now, and sometimes that seems like alot of chickens to me. I am always sooo ready for them to be done with the brooder and go outside.

Is your brooder pretty big?
 
They should be fine despite the age difference. The older ones will be outnumbered by the younger ones, so they will settle in and if anything mother the smaller ones. That has been my experience. We had a 3 week old chick, in with ten, day old chicks, and she(turned out to be a hen) huddled them all up under her wings like a little broody moma, it was TOO CUTE! Wish I had gotten pics, I'd post them here. Maybe you'll get lucky and get a little "momma" chick too. It is adorable!
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from Texas...
My mom's 8 w/o Sultan (we think roo) adopted our 3 w/o Silkies, Bantam Sultan, and Bantam Unknown chicks when they were 1 w/o. Now they all play feather chase in the inside aviary we have for them.
Go for it, the older 1's will be fine with the 1 d/o's
 
We have a 6'x6' room off our enclosed porch we will be using, it is heated with the rest of the house. We were planning to use a cardboard 'wall' to keep them in a smaller area and expand as they get bigger. they will have the entire room until they go out. We have room for 30, we were planning on selling a few of the layers in the spring, plus my Mom was interested in adopting a few if her flock will accept them. We have an acre we have been working on fencing off and a 10x8 shed we have been making chicken friendly. I am so excited and have been planning for over a year. I am a little nervous to add to the 25 i am expecting but i think introducing silkies & bantams now and raising them together would be better than waiting till spring.

My hubby keeps saying 'Whatever you want to do hon."

That could be dangerous. My original plan was a dozen R.I.R's from my mom's friend. lol.
 
Little chicky mamas! so cute!

I was hoping with the older chicks being out numbered by the younger larger breed chicks they wouldn't be aggressive with them. I am glad to hear some of you have had the older ones adopting the younger ones, that makes me feel better about it. They are going to be in the house with me until early spring so keeping an eye/ear on them will be easy.

Chicken math...

25 layers + the bonus chicky + a couple bantams & silkies = holy crap!

My kids will love it!

And my Mom will be raising a batch of guinea hens in the spring for her & I to split.
 
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I sure hope not since I have 36 in a brooder now and they're my first order. No silkies or bantams, but 36 chicks that are almost 3 weeks old now.
 
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That's alot of chickens! I think you need to be a little crazy to just dive in like that, but its what makes it an adventure
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IMO, integrating new members of the flock is the EASIEST when they are all tiny chicks. No one has had time to grow into a bully. But definitely if there is a problem I would separate them for awhile.

I tried to integrate 3 week olds with 1 week olds and that did NOT work well. I had to separate them for a long while. Now everyone is integrated fine, though. But with the older ones being only 2 weeks old, I would think that would be fine.
 
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