Different age chicks together

[Fluff Queen]

I recently picked up 7 chicks from the local feed store and they are about a week old now. I was hoping to pick up 4 more next week as that's when they are getting their next shipment of bantams in. I was wondering if the age and size difference between the chicks matters? The current chicks I have in the brooder are also bantams so they will not be huge. Will I have to set up another brooder or will they be able to all be in the same brooder together?

 

[NatJ]

I recently picked up 7 chicks from the local feed store and they are about a week old now. I was hoping to pick up 4 more next week as that's when they are getting their next shipment of bantams in. I was wondering if the age and size difference between the chicks matters? The current chicks I have in the brooder are also bantams so they will not be huge. Will I have to set up another brooder or will they be able to all be in the same brooder together?

I would probably set up another brooder for the first few days, so the new ones can get over being shipped and get good at running around.

After a few days, I would probably try to combine them: maybe put one big chick in with the little ones, then another a few hours later, and continue until you have all the chicks together over a 2-3 day period. Keep an eye out for picking or bullying problems, but if the brooder is big enough they will probably be fine together. Combining them at that age will almost certainly be easier than trying to integrate them a few months later.

 

[Penpal]

I got chicks, then got more 2 weeks later. An obvious size difference. The big chicks did not harass the little ones. Later, I found them sleeping but were missing all but two of the little ones. I checked a bundle of chicks and found that the little ones were in the center and the older chicks were around them with their wings spread out, forming a barrier. I never expected that.

 

[WhiteCollarWeezy]

I would keep them separated long enough to make sure the new 1s aren't sickly.....after you ensure health within each bunch..... Combine...and see how how they act towards each other. If a few of them are being picked on give them their own brooder. I have 3 hens I separated because they were weaker, smaller and being bullied. Now they look out for each other and always stick together. Now they free range and are happy and healthy In their own clique

 

[NatJ]

Hi, I have 4 chicks that are 3 weeks old and I wanted to add more to my bunch, should I set up another brooder for my new chicks and then integrate them when the new chicks are a bit older? and how should I go about integrating them if they are in separate brooders and only a few weeks apart?

Yes, another brooder for the new chicks for at least the first few days, or a big divided brooder. You don't want the big ones stepping on the little ones and bugging them while the little ones learn to walk and eat and find the warm place and so forth.

After that, it partly depends on how many new chicks you have. If you have a large number of new chicks (more than a dozen), I would put one big chick in with the small ones, watch for a bit, add another-- if all goes well, you would soon have all the big ones in the same brooder with the small ones. If it doesn't go well, remove one or more big ones, and move on to another plan.

This method will usually work for any numbers, even if you tried to put them together another way and it failed:
Set up a large brooder with a divider made of hardware cloth or something similar. The chicks need to be able to see and hear through it, but not go through it. Both sides need food and water, heat according to the ages of the chicks, and some cool area to get away from the heat.

Let the chicks live next to each other for at least a few days. This can start just as soon you have the younger ones (no need to have completely separate brooders, just put them in their side of the divided one.) Or it can start later, depending on what works for you. After a few days, try letting them be together and watch what happens. Or try moving one big chick in with the little ones, than later another one, until they are all together. Living side by side, at some point they will consider themselves to be all one group, and can be together with no trouble. The only question is when that happens. It may happen at different points for some of the bigger chicks than for other ones.

 

[Chicken_tiger_catt]

2 weeks age difference? At this point I would get another brooder.

 

[Chicken_Mamma1979]

2 weeks age difference? At this point I would get another brooder.

Hi, I have 4 chicks that are 3 weeks old and I wanted to add more to my bunch, should I set up another brooder for my new chicks and then integrate them when the new chicks are a bit older? and how should I go about integrating them if they are in separate brooders and only a few weeks apart?

 

[Chicken_tiger_catt]

Hi, I have 4 chicks that are 3 weeks old and I wanted to add more to my bunch, should I set up another brooder for my new chicks and then integrate them when the new chicks are a bit older? and how should I go about integrating them if they are in separate brooders and only a few weeks apart?

put them outside together, but have them in separate brooders at night/ have a place where the little chicks can go, but the big chicks won't fit.