Introducing 3 weeks old chicks

[Melindaholmes]

Hi! I have a little guy that was shrink wrapped and very tiny (he’s a smaller breed anyway) when hatched. I kept him separate because he needed extra TLC that first week and I’ve been trying to let him get a little bigger. He’s strong and healthy, but still only about half the size of the other 2. I know they need combined and he needs companionship, so I have put them all together (and am watching them as I type this). The bigger chicks have pecked at him a couple of times and are pushed him a bit. They are all very wary of each other. I’m worried that once I stop watching, they are going to seriously hurt him. He’s trying to hold his own (I’m pretty sure he’s a roo based on coloring and wing feather growth) but I don’t want to interfere with the pecking order if the behavior is normal and relatively harmless. I also have 3 naked necks that are a week older, should I try introducing him to them instead, since they are such a docile breed, then maybe he’ll have friends when they are all put together. Help! Suggestions?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

You could try introducing him to the naked necks. Are they bigger than the ones he's with currently?

 

[Melindaholmes]

The naked necks are about the same size as the ones he’s with now. Maybe I should just try to introduce them a few hours at a time and put in a see through partition to separate them the rest of the time? I know that’s where I went wrong to begin with, I should have been using something see through from the start

 

[NatJ]

So you have 6 chicks total? Maybe just put them ALL together, all at once. That way each chick sees at least 3 new ones, and they're less likely to gang up on any specific one.

Edit to add: and if you can make sure they have an extra-big brooder, and maybe a clump of sod to peck it, it should also go more smoothly. Victims would have space to run away, and bullies would have things to distract them. And you know they'll keep growing and needing more space anyway.