integrating two day Faverolle chicks with three week old Bielefelders chicks

[llcardinale]

Hi All,
So, these are my first chicks. I've ordered three Salmon Faverolle and three Bielefelders. I tried to get them shipped within a week of each other, but our post office is closed weekends, so it wasn't going to work out. So, instead they will be coming three weeks apart. The Faverolle are coming second and I was thinking of having them in a second brooder for the first week. By then, obviously, the Bielefelders will be a whole month old, but I'm concerned about putting them together from the start. Faverolle are reportedly particularly vulnerable as chicks, so I was thinking it might be better to give them a week on their own to stabilize. They are both breeds with mild temperaments, the Faverolle, however, being especially docile. Any advice or relevant experience would be greatly appreciated.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

hi! I wouldn’t recommend putting them together simply because of the size difference. Ive had a day old chick stepped on by a chick twice it’s size and I didn’t think it would survive. I’ve never had Bielfelders but I’ve had several SFs and I don’t know if they’re more fragile than any other day old chick but they are definitely a very docile breed and if the bigger chicks decided to get an attitude it would be bad for the SFs. That being said, lots of times chicks do just fine together even at slightly different ages but I wouldn’t try it until the SFs are a few weeks old and then do a look-no-touch introduction. If you can separate them from day one where they can see the bigger girls that will make it that much easier

 

[rosemarythyme]

If the brooder space is big enough I'd split off a section for the younger ones and let the younger ones get their footing and a bit of size (1-2 weeks) and then try introducing them to the other chicks.

 

[llcardinale]

hi! I wouldn’t recommend putting them together simply because of the size difference. Ive had a day old chick stepped on by a chick twice it’s size and I didn’t think it would survive. I’ve never had Bielfelders but I’ve had several SFs and I don’t know if they’re more fragile than any other day old chick but they are definitely a very docile breed and if the bigger chicks decided to get an attitude it would be bad for the SFs. That being said, lots of times chicks do just fine together even at slightly different ages but I wouldn’t try it until the SFs are a few weeks old and then do a look-no-touch introduction. If you can separate them from day one where they can see the bigger girls that will make it that much easier

Thanks so much for your feedback. I'll take your advice about putting the brooders side by side where they can see each other through the mesh barrier, I guess not so different than the process of introducing grown hens to a new flock. Thanks again.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

We won’t complain if you post pictures when you get your puff balls, btw

 

[llcardinale]

If the brooder space is big enough I'd split off a section for the younger ones and let the younger ones get their footing and a bit of size (1-2 weeks) and then try introducing them to the other chicks.

Thank you for your advise. Responses have made clear that I need to keep them separate for two or more weeks before starting to put them together.

 

[Project Blue]

I'd wait until they are sturdier as well. One thing that works for me is to take the bigger chicks out of their coop for a day or two and put the smaller in, after the bigger chicks are thoroughly disoriented put them back in. Right now I have a giant sized turkey chick in with much smaller turkeys and chicks. The chicks are also from two different hatches, so I have a 4 week spread of chicks living in harmony. However,..... There's only 1 big turkey 2 much smaller turkeys the same size as 2 chicks and 8 little biddy chicks. The big turkey is super chill and only one of the bigger chicks has an attitude. Originally when I tried to blend the chicken chicks together he was aggressive with the smaller chicks, now after doing the house switch he became one with the flock. I think the proportionate numbers have to be in favor of the smaller sized chicks for this to work.