FIRST bunch of chicks, vastly different ages (Ooops!)

[gailll]

I just got my first bunch of chicks and in all of the excitement, we may have made a mistake. I am definitely learning A LOT this week, as I go.

The nice man at the feed store did not stop me from buying chicks that are many weeks apart in age and now I am very concerned about what temperature I should be keeping all of them (6- 5 week olds; 6- 4 week olds; 1- 1 week old) and when to put them all out, into the coop. I have them in a small room with a brooder at about 84°.

I don't want to separate them if I don't have to, for fear that they wont get along in the end. I just read that if I keep the older ones too warm that I can ruin them for life...ugh!!! But we all (Hubby and 3 kids) LOVE the baby, and I don't want her to get too cold. They are getting pretty rambunctious and the baby IS holding her own quite nicely. The only foreseeable problem is that I am over heating the majority that could probably all go out to the coop soon. I JUST DON'T KNOW NUTHIN' 'BOUT RAISIN' NO CHICKENS! (LOL!)

 

[sunflour]

glad you have joined us.

Lesson learned: don't think the folks working at the feed store really know anything about chickens.

.

If the little one is eating, pooping and acting normally, then IMO you are doing a great job.

I would make sure the brooder is large enough to allow the older ones to move to cooler areas if needed.

You are not ruining them - sounds like you are doing a great job

And it would be best to try to keep them together, but keep an eye on the little one. If the elders do bully her, then you could divide the brooder with wire so they can still see each other but not peck.

Why don't you post the question under the Raising Baby Chicks forum? There are loads of folks here that can offer you some specific advice from their vast experience.

 

[gailll]

Ahhhh...Thank you for the encouraging words. I am very glad to have found this website.

The weather is looking warmer this week, here in Crestline, CA, so I may take them for a visit to their run/coop for some play time. With that one younger chick, would your opinion be to let her come of age before I put them outside, permanently?

This is my first experience with chickens and I'm sure I will look back one day, on all of my worrying, and laugh... but as for now, I'm Worried!

PS: I did re-post this under the Raising Baby Chicks forum. Looking forward to those replies.

 

[sunflour]

Most don't place them outdoors permanently until they get their juvenile feathers - 5-6 weeks.

Others brood theirs totally outdoors - with our without momma hen.

@Blooie has a thread on using a heating blanket for this - more like momma. post #1 . It would allow you to move yours out sooner?

Also those who brood outdoors or integrate newbies young use portals or hiding places for the smaller ones to avoid the larger ones - embarrassed to say but I'm not sure it it was Aart or Azygous who posted this in past threads.

Maybe you'll get more ideas on your other thread?

 

[drumstick diva]

 

[accord]

I have a week all the chicks in together with almost fully feathered chicks . It's been wonderful! At night the little ones huddle up underneath the older ones and they all go to sleep. I found out they would do this quite by accident as my husband forgot to plug the heat lamp back in after cleaning the brooder one night. Now I purposely turn the light off in the evening so they sleep quietly. I turn it back on at daybreak and they go about their day eating drinking and getting along great.

 

[accord]

Week old *