introducing new day old chicks to 6 day old chicks..

[88heather]

I was advised I should separate the new chicks I just got in the mail from my chicks that are now 6 days old.(only 2 chicks are 6 days old). I know pecking orders happen fast. Last year when I later picked up a chick and put that chick in with chicks I already had for a week.. I didn't separate just put them all together and they were fine.

My new day olds.. 4 are bantams and 1 an easter egger.. Do I really need to separate for a day?? I was trying to and with my brooder couldn't find a really safe way to do that.. One of my BCM chicks (the 6 day old) keeps trying to fly up to me.. like "help get me away from these newbies!" LOL..

Do I just keep checking on them and they'll be OK? or is it really super important to figure out how to separate them for that first day??


thanks for any help!

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

You want your new chicks to really get their legs underneath them and be able to move quickly before mixing them. Give them a couple days on their own until they look perky. Then watch carefully after integrating them. At that age, there shouldn't be a pecking order thing happening.

 

[SteveBaz]

I would think that only a week or so separate the 2 groups. I would make sure the new group is strong physically and well. In a day or so at NIGHT when all is sleeping, put them in there with the others in near dark and they will wake up together have the same smell and odor and go out the door together and not know the difference. It would be very different if there is a 3 week or more difference but they are almost the same age and there really is no solid pecking order going on yet.

 

[88heather]

the ones in the mail seem really active!.. I just don't have a great way to separate them.. right now they are all together.. Maybe when my husband gets home he can help me change the brooder or something.. Did I mess things up just letting them all be together? Only one of my 6 day olds seems bothered since she keeps trying to fly up to me when I go in there and then comes and lets me pick her up? only 5 days apart I wouldn't think would be a problem.. but I don't want to risk anything??

 

[88heather]

I was only advised by MPC to separate for 24hrs since they are all just days old and days apart... I was trying to find something to put in the brooder to split it so they see each other but can't be together... but I've already put them together.. so do I go back in and separate them now?

 

[88heather]

my 6 day old chicks are both Black copper marans.. my biggest BCM, Chirpy, almost seems to be sulking... is that possible? my other seems to already be snuggling with the new guys.. so since I didn't separate.. i just wonder if I should just let it be and watch.. OR figure out how to separate and do that for a day?

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

Sounds like at this point you should just let them be. Sometimes there are problems and sometimes not. If everyone is doing fine, then that's great. Every situation is different and it depends on the chicks. Pictures? We all love pictures of baby chicks!

 

[88heather]

They are so flippin adorable!!! I'll go take pics in a bit..

I had a hatch that I lost 2 chicks last week.. so now I have my 2 Black Copper marans that are the 6 days old (2 chicks weren't enough so I quickly ordered these little guys

).. In this order I got.. 2 Mille Fleur D'uccle Bantams, 1 silkie Bantam, and what looks like 1 Black Frizzle Cochin Bantam (I think that's what it is) and 1 Easter Egger.

I will post pics soon!!!

I showed the music video I made of Chirpy and Sprinkles hatching if anyone wants to see that.. It came out ADORABLE!!! I've watched it so many times and posted it so many times on FB.. but I just loved watching Chirpy help Sprinkles hatch! (i haven't named these new babies yet)

http://gallery.me.com/heatherjsims#100029

 

[SueBaby]

If you don't see the older chicks knocking the younger, wobbly ones down then I'm sure what you've got going on is fine.

 

[88heather]

my biggest 6 day chick, Chirpy seems to be more sulking than anything... I don't see any pecking on .. and the new chicks all seem really active and helping and chirping a lot!

they've been together now a whole 3 hrs.. I'm obsessively checking on them!