introducing new chicks to an existing brooder

[rehsanipoor]

What is the best method for introducing/integrating 2 day old chicks to a brooder holding 3 week old chicks?
Thanks for any advice!

 

[azygous]

Put them together and stay and watch them. There will be a huge size difference, but unless the older chicks are precociously aggressive, they should all be fine together.

There will be a peck on the heads of the new chicks by the older ones. This is a normal greeting, and it shouldn't go any further than that. If you see the older chicks chasing the littles and if you hear screeches of pain from the littles, then it probably won't work.

But you can still put them together in one brooder with a partition of window screening down the center. That way they can still grow together and at some point, they can be put together.

Be aware that the heat needs of two groups will be quite different. Three-week olds need no heat during the day and only a little at night. The littles will need much more heat than the older ones for the next two weeks.

 

[rehsanipoor]

We have a heating pad as well as a heat plate and they are indoors as well. I'm hoping this will give a range of options, but can add more if they don't seem warm enough.

Next question
They are currently in a plastic tub but I plan to move them to a bigger box. Should I transition the chicks I have now to a bigger box before the newbies arrive? I didn't know if the stress of a new brooder and new chicks might cause unfriendly behavior towards the new chicks.

Last question (for now)
We have a heating plate with the heating pad under right now. They spend a lot of time under the plate. I think they like to be "under" something more than they need the heat. I'm beginning to wonder if I can start to wean them out from under the heating plate. I've leaned the heating plate up on it's side (like a wall) and left the heating pad under the box. As long as they seem comfortable does this seem appropriate for their age (2 weeks)?

Thanks!

 

[azygous]

First question, you may easily add new day-old chicks to two-week old chicks. No need to separate. It takes until four weeks for chicks to adopt a pecking order. Until then, they will recognize the new chicks with a little peck on their heads, then all will set to being a flock.

As far as heat, chicks wean themselves. By age three weeks, you will notice they are no longer using the heat source during the day, and if the nights are mild, not so much at night, either. By age five weeks, chicks are finished with a heat source.

The reason chicks like to be "under" heat is because they have an instinct to shelter under their broody hen for safety, comfort and heat.

 

[rehsanipoor]

If our chicks are inside, do their needs change at night?

 

[rehsanipoor]

Any suggestions as to when we should transition them to a bigger brooder (ie before/after the new chicks arrive).

 

[rehsanipoor]

this is how I changed their heat. There is a heating pad under the area they are sitting on. They seem comfortable. Is this okay?

 

[NatJ]

Any suggestions as to when we should transition them to a bigger brooder (ie before/after the new chicks arrive).

Are the new ones coming by mail? Or from somewhere local?

I might put the new chicks in the new brooder, and give them a few hours. That lets them warm up, eat, and drink, and it lets you easily watch how they are doing. Then put in the larger chicks.

 

[rehsanipoor]

They are coming by mail. Thanks for the advice. I'll Let the newbies get comfortable before putting the "oldies" in.

 

[Aocskasy]

Put them together and stay and watch them. There will be a huge size difference, but unless the older chicks are precociously aggressive, they should all be fine together.

There will be a peck on the heads of the new chicks by the older ones. This is a normal greeting, and it shouldn't go any further than that. If you see the older chicks chasing the littles and if you hear screeches of pain from the littles, then it probably won't work.

But you can still put them together in one brooder with a partition of window screening down the center. That way they can still grow together and at some point, they can be put together.

Be aware that the heat needs of two groups will be quite different. Three-week olds need no heat during the day and only a little at night. The littles will need much more heat than the older ones for the next two weeks.

I recently had to do exactly this. I got 4 chicks (3 weeks old now) and then a week later got 3 more (2 weeks old now). The younger ones outgrew my small brooder so I had to move them to the larger tub with the old chicks. One of the older chicks will sometimes run over and peck at the younger ones for no reason. The little chicks do screech when this happens. Is this something that will work itself out or am I going to need to come up with a different plan? I don’t really have the ability to set up another 125 gallon tub as the one I have now is currently in my dining room. I live in the suburbs so I don’t have a ton of space.