Introduction of newborns to 2 week olds success (I think)

[staceyl]

I introduced 2 babies to 3 two week olds this afternoon. They've been together for over 3 hours. There's been some pecking, but nothing major. So can I go to bed and leave them alone? Or could it still turn ugly?

 

[ranchhand]

You can go to bed, but you'd best be there before the sun comes up. Three bigger chicks against 2 smaller chicks?

It might work out fine, but I would want to be there to supervise all the time for the first day.

 

[staceyl]

They are still in the brooder under a white light so I'm not sure they have any concept of day and night at this point. Does that change your advice?
And unfortunately I can't supervise all day tomorrow - that job thing gets in the way, but my friend is going to come check on them.

 

[ranchhand]

Yes. If they start pecking and blood starts showing that chick will be attacked even more. Chickens are cannibalistic.

Darn pesky jobs! Wish I could ditch my horrid boss... but it's me.

Couple things you can do- separate the little ones for the day and have the heat lamp over the edges of both brooders. A red lamp is even better, but more expensive and harder to find. I finally found a red 100 watt flood at Ace Hardware, works well without heating the house. The 250 watt red was way too much heat.

Wait until you have a day off to integrate them, so you can watch them, or give the little ones a few days to get really agile. And maybe provide a hiding place?

Good luck!

 

[staceyl]

I did provide a hiding place. I've been using a 4X4 as a roost, so I scooted it away from the wall just enough for the little girls to get back there, but not the big girls. They are doing so well, I hate to seperate them now. I guess i will take my chances.

 

[staceyl]

Well, I'm not sure anyone is paying attention, but everyone got through the night fine, so I think we are okay now.
The only problem I'm having is that if I put the water low enough for the little girls, the big girls kick shavings into it and then the shavings wick out water all over the brooder. Giant wet spot to clean up this morning. Any way to solve that one?

 

[gryeyes]

Yup. Build yourself a nipple waterer. The chicks learn how to drink from it really quickly. I bought the "poultry nipples" from FarmTek, and installed one in the bottom of a plastic pitcher I wasn't going to use any more. No more filthy water, no more mess in the brooder!

If you do a search on the topics for FarmTek nipples, you'll find threads discussing this method of watering chickens. It works just fine for chicks. The important thing to know is that there needs to be a hole in the top of the pitcher (I just left the flappy pourer thingie open) so the air pressure allows the water to drip. If it's totally sealed up, the water won't drip when the chicks peck at the nipple.