Integrating different aged chicks--possible?

[firsthouse_mp]

I have two chicks who are 5.5 weeks, two who are 4.5 weeks. One of these younger chicks is a roo. I need to re-home him since I am not allowed to have roos in my city. I hope to have that happen fairly soon since the sooner I part with him, the less I will be tempted to hide him from my neighbors and the city officials

I had hoped to have four pullets laying by Summer. But now I know I will only have three unless I do some adding.

So, I will have three chicks. Can I add to this group:
1. One chick the same age who is looking for a new home; or
2. Two 1 week old chicks and raise them in the same brooder.

The differentiating heat question comes up--the one week olds will still need the heat lamps. If I add the one that is the same age, that seems like a recipe for being picked on. The one chick that I am thinking of adding is a BO. The others that I own already are two Wyandottes and a Silver Spangled Hamburg.

Or do I just hang in there and have three....maybe trying another small flock addition next year?
Your thoughts?

Thanks wise BYCers. You are so great!

 

[peacockfarmer1]

i would not mix week old chickens with 5.5 week or 4.5 weeks old
the week old chicks will get beat up
if you want to add more chickens to the flock wait until they are atleast 3 monthes old
the younger ones will still be less domanant than the older ones but they will stop picking on each other the longer they are around eachother

 

[Jaboyd2u]

My dad and I have built integration pens for ours, I will try to explain as best I can without pictures. This is the set up, We have 3 pens that are 6'x12' we took an divided two of the 6x12 to make a 3'x6' area that is separated by just the 1" chicken wire, once the chicks are old enough to take out of the brooder we put them in there so that the older birds can see them but not get to them. Once in there for a while we integrate them slowly by opening the door and introducing them for just a few minutes supervised then if all goes well we re-separate them for a few more days, after that we put them together usually with no real problems now there is always going to be the pecking order to determine. So to answer your question yes you may integrate them but it takes time... Hope this helps