Integrating New Chicks

[BerrytangleFarm]

We have existing 10-week-old hens (Black Australorp and New Hampsire Red) in the coop. We have one Silkie/Cochin mix 2 weeks old chick is currently in the brooder. We expect many of the 18 eggs in the incubator (all showing development) to hatch in 10 days. These will be Silkies and some mutts from similarly docile breeds.

So.........

The existing 2-week-old chick will be in the brooder with the newly hatched chicks. Then the hens will be integrated into the existing flock in the coop in 2 months.

Any warnings/tips on integrating the chicks with the existing one and then those hens to the coop?

 

[wannabchick]

Iam new at all this too
But can you add a divider so they can get use to each other first

A two week old can peck the crap out of newly hatched chicks

I put a post up last week, how I let 3 weeks old and 8 week olds share a brooder

I place a screen in their and angle it so it fits in, and put a brick in the corner

Good luck

 

[Susan Mc]

So when the eggs hatch the current chick will be 3 and a half weeks old?
That's a huge size difference you'll deal with there, and I'd worry about the biggie trampling the smallies even if it doesn't try pecking them.
If you have no other choice but to mix them, you need to at least give the smallies a couple of days on their own to find their feet before introducing them to biggie.

We recently put together 2 chicks hatched 8 days apart. We had them in separate boxes to start, then took them both out into a neutral area (the family room floor). The first time the big chick went for the small one's toes and eyes quite a bit. We tried again a few hours later and things went much better that time. If big went after little, we put our hand over it with fingers spread a bit, like a cage. Big would get bored after a few seconds and wander off. Throwing a bit of food down to distract biggie helped too. It was evening, and when we put them back into the larger brooder together, we turned out the lights and left them, keeping our ears tuned in. All's well a few days later, and we'll be doing it again in a couple of days with the chicks that are hatching as I write!
All the best, and happy hatching!