Different aged chicks

[KarenLynn8]

I am brand new this year to raising chickens, and I am oh-so excited! I am getting 10 chicks the week of April 11 - 3 black Australorps, 3 Buff Orpingtons, 3 Speckled Sussex, and 1 White Plymouth Rock. I really wanted Dominique chicks, too, but the hatchery I used were out of them that week. A local breeder in the area that I live had posted some Dominique's on Craigslist that are 1 week old, so will be approximately 2+ weeks old when my "flock" arrives. Would this be a problem, introducing smaller chicks to 2 week old chicks?

 

[sourland]

Bigger chicks will pick on and possibly trample newly hatched chicks.

 

[knightgang]

I raised a batch of 19 that about 6-8 were a week older than the rest, I did not have any problems. 2 weeks older I am not sure.

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[azygous]

Two weeks age difference isn't insurmountable. You do need to take precautions with the tiny ones, though. You didn't mention how many of the older chicks you'll be getting. I'm assuming there will be only a few and the ten new ones will outnumber them. If there are more older chicks than younger ones, then sourland is right in pointing out they could over-run the younger ones.

Plan on one big brooder with a partition for the first week when the new ones arrive. Let the two-week olds get used to the babies and interact with them through the safety of a screen.

Once it appears everyone is acquainted, try letting them all mingle. Expect some pecking, but be ready to step in if a larger chick looks like it wants to hurt a tiny one, and especially if the older ones gang up on a younger one. If that does happen, you can give the bully a quick poke on its back. That's what a senior hen would do to discipline a chick who's misbehaving. Keep poking the bully each time it tries to bully a tiny one.

I'm betting they will all get along after having gotten used to one another through the screen. And if you do have to discipline an older chick, it will learn very quickly not to keep up with its bad behavior.

 

[KarenLynn8]

Thank you so much for your information. I will only be getting 2 older chicks along with the 10 babies. Great idea with the screen and "poke", similar to a hen's correcting bad behavior.