I have a dilemma.

[88Haywood88]

Ok, here's the situation. I just ordered 10 buff cochins and 15 silver leghorns from a hatchery. we will be getting them on the 26th of this month. I want to incubate some of by buff orpington eggs. I calculated it out to where the new hatches would be about 23-24 days younger than the others. How dangerous is it for put them in the same brooder? I have a separate brooder, but i'd only be able to keep the younest ones in it for a week or two. wahy should i do?

 

[gryeyes]

Three weeks difference in age is about the furthest you can push it. I mix chicks of all ages within about 3 or 3.5 weeks difference. However, I don't but newly hatched bantam chicks in with older large fowl chicks. I will put LF babies in with older bantam chicks, though.

 

[they'reHISchickens]

Put the babies in the separate brooder for the first week or so until they are growing like weeds. Then assimilate the two groups with a lot of supervision and places for babies to hide. In 6 more weeks you won't be able to tell which batch was which.