Different age chicks together

[FranzeskaPound]

Hi all
I have only one chick left from my first hatching . I tried to put it in with adult quails but they weren't very happy about it lol . So I took it out quick . I've got another 6 chicks about to hatch . So would 1 4 week old chick be ok in with day old chicks ? It's a female the 4 week old

 

[sourland]

I wouldn't try it for a couple of days until the new chicks are completely mobile - then I would monitor very closely.

 

[NatJ]

would 1 4 week old chick be ok in with day old chicks ? It's a female the 4 week old

Mixing chicks of different ages usually works fine, as long as the older ones don't step on the younger ones or injure them by being rough. The younger they are, the less they care about pecking order or who is a stranger.

I would try to divide the brooder with hardware cloth for the first few days. That lets them see each other (so the big one can get used to those little fluffy things without trying to eat them or sit on them.)

After a few days, when the little ones are running around well, instead of staggering and tripping, I would try putting them together and see how it goes. My guess is they will be fine. If they are not fine, separate them again and wait a week or so to let the young ones grow a bit more, then try it again.