Introducing 3 day old chicks to 8 week old chicks

[drinkoj]

I got the coop built, put the 7-8 week old chicks (5 leghorn & 2 iso brown) in there, and then chicken fever set in for the DW. She bought four new Iso Brown chicks that are now 3 days old. How long do I need to isolate the 3 day old chicks in a brooder within the coop before I can introduce them to the flock?

I don't have the run setup yet (this weekends project), but from my reading I need to have hiding places built so the younger chicks can dart off to get away from the older chicks if necessary once they are let go into the coop, right?

Here's the journey of the coop and run build:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/building-a-4x8-coop-inside-10x10-dog-kennel.1379917/

 

[AltonaAcres]

A general rule of thumb is not to keep chicks together with a greater age difference than 2 weeks. If I were you I would brood the littles separately until they are about 6 weeks, and then they'll be old enough to go in with older chickens. If you can, ideally, I would wait until the littles are full grown.

 

[Matilda Belle]

I would wait about 3 weeks before trying to integrate. And during integration, you need to watch them closely.

 

[Doc7]

My 3 week olds, 8 week olds, 1 and 2 year olds all

together as of yesterday.

 

[AltonaAcres]

In your original post you had said they were 3 days old. I think you meant 3 weeks old?

 

[Homesteadermomma6382]

I would say give it another couple weeks. Just to be sure everyone knows each other. I brood in the house til 6 weeks. Tween coop from 6-12 weeks and at 12 weeks introduce them to the flock. I want to make sure they are big enough to stand their ground if someone wants to get feisty probably a little over cautious but so far I have had flawless integrations with 4 different broods.

 

[zurmakin]

In your original post you had said they were 3 days old. I think you meant 3 weeks old?

I'm wondering the same thing. I'm actually reading this because I have a 9 week old and two 4 week old chicks I'm testing the waters with them being together. I originally had three with the oldest but sadly lost one and the others grew up to be turkeys and I had to get rid of them (this is a whole story in itself).

I'm interested in this same situation if OP's chicks are 3 and 8 weeks.

 

[drinkoj]

In your original post you had said they were 3 days old. I think you meant 3 weeks old?

Nope! 3 day old chicks just bought (now older by a day of course) and 7-8 week old chicks

 

[drinkoj]

Originally I was thinking about using one of my nesting boxes (21" x 19" by 15" tall) until 3.5 weeks, then doing something similar to Doc7 . Now I am going to brood them in the garage until 3.5 weeks and then integrate them similar to Doc7 did. I have puppy gates and crates that aren't necessary for my puppies anymore (see my avatar), using this article as my base https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/my-coop-brooder-and-integration.74591/

 

[NatJ]

I was just going to recommend that article

Sounds like your plan will probably work well.