Different size chicks

[guineahen14]

Hello, I received 5 chicks last Wednesday, today I received 4 more. After I make sure the new ones are eating and drinking is it ok to put them with the ones that are a week older? I don't want any one of them getting hurt. Thanks.

 

[Mahonri]

It's best to keep different aged chicks separate.

Where they are only a week apart it may work, but usually the older ones will pick on the younger ones.

 

[dsowens15]

I think it will be fine. just watch them for bout 20 minutes then check ever say half hour or hour untill your sure they`ll be fine.

 

[MMPoultryFarms]

I always hear it isn't good to mix large birds and small birds. I have yet to have any serious problems I put my birds together by breed not age at I have several little birds who live with MR. Roo my rooster BA who swears he is a hen until morning time. I am sure it really depends on the breeds and there docileness. at the end of the day they all share one big yard. I have the usual pecking on the butt here and there, and the chase. (its usually my cornish rocks babys chasing the bigger birds away from the feeders LOL.
you can try placing them all into a brooder and seperating the 2 different age groups with a piece of hardware cloth so they can get close to eachother without actually contacting eachother and monitor there behavior.

 

[pkw]

Up to 2 weeks difference probably isn't going to hurt. I have placed chicks together from 2 weeks old and younger. Really you should go by size difference rather than age.