how to...mix chicks hatching 3 weeks apart???

[thegoogers]

We had 6 barred rock/blue cochin mix chicks hatch last friday. We have 6 EE that will hopefully hatch this thursady and will be getting 5-6 welsummers that are due to hatch Dec. 2. We have the first batch in a tupperware brooder for now. I am building a brooder that will be 4'x2'. So I hope there will be enough room for all of them. I am just worried about putting 3 week old chicks with chicks that are only a couple days old. Do you think if we put the last batch (the youngest) in a seperate brooder for a few days to get their strength up first, they would all be ok together?

I just don't want the oldest ones to pick at or keep the youngest from eating.

Let me know what you think,

Thanks
Patrick

 

[Solsken Farm]

At that age, you can mix them pretty well once the babies are a week or two old. I have done this numerous times with no problems. I never put brand new hatchlings in with even several day old chicks until they are up, running around and eating.

Enjoy! Sounds like a great mix.

Edited to add: I forgot to say that I have mixed chicks as old as 8 to 12 weeks with virtually no problems in a coop where they had a big run.

 

[seminolewind]

I just did this. I moved them both into a fresh area, and they stuck together after that. Prior to that one chased the little ones, so they were in cages side by side for a week before.

 

[RIVERA69R]

At this age their shouldnt be an established pecking order yet so the mixing should go rather smooth

 

[MissPrissy]

You should be able to put them together without problems. Just watch them off and on to make sure there isn't problems. I have never encoutered any issues when they are that young. You will see some toe pecks and such but it shouldn't be anything that causes injury.

 

[thegoogers]

Great!! That's what we wanted to hear!

We had planned on letting the new chicks stay in the smaller brooder for a couple days to get mobile before thowing them in with the older ones.

This is our first time hatching. It has been amazing. Those little guys grow up quick. At less than a week old they are already sprouting wing feathers!! We had no idea they would start thay quick.

Thanks for the quick replys! You can always count on BYC folks!!!

Patrick

 

[RIVERA69R]

Have fun and good luck with the youngins HAPPY HOLIDAYS

 

[Pumpkinpup]

Hi, Patrick! Glad to see you are really getting into the chickens! How are Natasha and the kids?
I have never encountered any problems doing this but I do have a friend who put day old chicks into the brooder with 4 week olds and the older chicks literally pecked the beeks off the babies while he was at work! Be sure you keep the tiny ones to themselves until they are about a week or so old before combining and I don't think you should have any difficulty. I would never put tiny (1-5 day old) biddies in witholder chicks.

 

[thegoogers]

Hey Robin!! Everyone is doing great! As you and your husband warned us...we are sliding down the slippery slope of chicken addiction!! LOL!! I am planning a new large coop - 12'x8' with runs at both ends. We plan to divide the coop on the inside and keep the welsummers on one side ( I think we will have the one roo and 4-8 hens) and put the barred rocks on the other side. That way we can keep the breeds apart and sell the eggs/chicks if we get into it that far. It has been a lot of fun and the whole family is getting into it. And it is all your fault!! We got our first chickens from you!! They are really growing up fast!! Talk with ay later


Sorry bout that...just realized this is on the main board not a pm!! LOL....now back to our regularly scheduled programming!!!

 

[Pumpkinpup]

, Patrick! Have fun!