Introducing chicks of different ages?

[Hufflefluff]

Hiya! My family and I are raising chickens for the first time, and have six adorable chicks that will turn 5 weeks old on Sunday (2 Ameraucanas, 1 Red Sex Link, 1 Black Australorp, 1 Buff Rock, and 1 Gold Laced Wyandotte). However, yesterday we got two bantams (One Black Frizzle Cochin Bantam and one Porcelain Cochin Bantam). These two chicks are now 2 or 3 days old, and very little. Our almost five week olds should be moved out to the coop soonish, but we want to move the out to the coop with the bantams. Our dilemma is that the bantams are four weeks younger than our older chicks, and will always be MUCH smaller. I've read a bunch of horror stories about mixing different aged chicks, but we need them all comfortable enough with each other that we can put them all in the coop together without separation in roughly three weeks. How can we do this and keep all chicks safe and happy? Thanks for any advice!

P.S. Sorry if there are other questions that are similar- I wasn't sure. Also, I hope I posted this in the right place...:/

 

[gruffy]

I would wait a few days on your bantams. Chicks will grow quickly. They are really fragile the first week especially being bantams. And big birds will without a doubt step on them. When they have wing feathers growing out (the length of their body) is when they can usually start mixing with larger birds but probably just a few.
I have a mixed age flock since we have 1 hen laying we have all different ages. When they get to a certain size they can join a few older birds. So in your case when they get a bit bigger I would introduce 1 bird at a time to the bantams. If they are big enough in 3 weeks and made some friends they will probably huddle together for warmth with them. When you get closer to leaving I would bring a few birds in with your bantams and let them sleep together. It's likely they will all huddle together and bond a bit more as a flock. But you have to judge and watch to see if your birds would survive with so many bigger older livelier birds in the space you have. If they're being trampled constantly stressed out and can't get to feed or being bullied I would still keep them separately

 

[Hufflefluff]

Thank you so much! One question- when I'm introducing one bird to the two bantams, is there a good place to introduce them? As in, should I put the older chick in the bantam's brooder, or let them mill about on a completely new area? Either way, thanks so much for the advice.

 

[gruffy]

For introducing I would say a good size space. The older bird is likely to start looking to escape and trample them if it's trying to get out of a small enclosure. I would add the bigger bird first and let it settle down and accept it will be there a while then add your bantams when the bird is calm. But I would say you have to watch. If it sees the other chicks as food you may have to act quickly. And I would say add food and water for good measure