Mama Heating Pad in the Brooder (Picture Heavy) - UPDATE

[aart]

I've only had trouble combining chicks of even 1 week apart in age.....even just 2 days apart going from bator to brooder was dicey, but for a very short time.
Had 3 groups spanning 6 weeks brooded in adjacent wire brooders had to be slowly integrated in day visits together in a day pen outside,
but I was also dealing with smaller spaces.....more space always helps.

Ya never know what will happen when you put live animals together!
Hope for the best and be prepared for the worst, know when to step in or let ride out.... but patience, observation and flexibility will eventually solve any issues.

 

[Blooie]

I've only had trouble combining chicks of even 1 week apart in age.....even just 2 days apart going from bator to brooder was dicey, but for a very short time.
Had 3 groups spanning 6 weeks brooded in adjacent wire brooders had to be slowly integrated in day visits together in a day pen outside,
but I was also dealing with smaller spaces.....more space always helps.

Ya never know what will happen when you put live animals together!
Hope for the best and be prepared for the worst, know when to step in or let ride out.... but patience, observation and flexibility will eventually solve any issues.

x2...watch and prepare to intervene if needed, but be sure it's really needed. Some fussing is perfectly normal and usually they sort it out very well.

 

[Traceaskew]

x2...watch and prepare to intervene if needed, but be sure it's really needed.  Some fussing is perfectly normal and usually they sort it out very well.

Thank you both! I will keep a close eye on them

 

[A V Davidson]

Traceaskew

Wow, that's hard to type!

I am (was) new to baby chicks about seven weeks ago. I bought three; Black Australorp, Buff Orpington, and a Barred Plymouth Rock. They obviously exhibit different personalities and they get along fine with each other. Then, a couple of weeks ago I decided to get another, a Red Sex-Link as Perchie-Girl described her. I was VERY nervous about introducing her to the flock. I agree with Blooie that putting them together at bedtime is probably a good idea.

Just by luck I had purchased the new little baby (Lola) in the evening as the store was closing, and the sun had already gone down. When I got home with her I noticed that the three older (about four weeks older) chicks had already settled down, so I opened the cage and placed Lola right near the door. She pecked around a bit, but soon went straight to where the bigger chicks were hunkered down and nestled herself in amongst them. I watched for a while -- no squawks, no squabbling,



just a few peeps and all was quiet. In the morning all four chicks were up and feeding, still no quarrels. So, I guess I am just lucky, or it isn't that big o' deal putting them together at varying ages. However, again I will say that it was a likely good thing that it all happened at their bedtime.

Vance

 

[aart]

That's a good success story!......sometimes I think we hear more bad ones here, than the good ones.
Changes ones perspective.

 

[Traceaskew]

Traceaskew Wow, that's hard to type! I am (was) new to baby chicks about seven weeks ago. I bought three; Black Australorp, Buff Orpington, and a Barred Plymouth Rock. They obviously exhibit different personalities and they get along fine with each other. Then, a couple of weeks ago I decided to get another, a Red Sex-Link as Perchie-Girl described her. I was VERY nervous about introducing her to the flock. I agree with Blooie that putting them together at bedtime is probably a good idea. Just by luck I had purchased the new little baby (Lola) in the evening as the store was closing, and the sun had already gone down. When I got home with her I noticed that the three older (about four weeks older) chicks had already settled down, so I opened the cage and placed Lola right near the door. She pecked around a bit, but soon went straight to where the bigger chicks were hunkered down and nestled herself in amongst them. I watched for a while -- no squawks, no squabbling, just a few peeps and all was quiet. In the morning all four chicks were up and feeding, still no quarrels. So, I guess I am just lucky, or it isn't that big o' deal putting them together at varying ages. However, again I will say that it was a likely good thing that it all happened at their bedtime. Vance

Haha well I'm just not creative with my usernames...maybe I should think of something more clever I'm glad to hear you had an easy integration. I hope mine goes as smoothly!

 

[henless]

Thank you Blooie! I will certainly post pics when they get here

I'm getting 3 silkies from a local breeder, supposed to hatch over the next week, and the rest are coming from a hatchery, scheduled to get to me Jan 11. I plan to use my old dog crate for the first week or so and then move them out to the coop! Do you think I'll have much issue with the silkies being a couple of weeks older?

What kind of chicks are you getting from the hatchery?

I got my 11 Cream Legbars back in September. Half were 2 weeks old and the other half were just hatched. There were in separate brooders when I picked them up. I put them all in the same pen and never had any trouble out of them.

Like the others said, just keep an eye on them and be ready to separate them if needed. Silkies are usually very docile. If your getting large fowl chicks from the hatchery, it might be good that they Silkies will be older.

 

[Traceaskew]

What kind of chicks are you getting from the hatchery? 

I got my 11 Cream Legbars back in September. Half were 2 weeks old and the other half were just hatched. There were in separate brooders when I picked them up. I put them all in the same pen and never had any trouble out of them. 

Like the others said, just keep an eye on them and be ready to separate them if needed. Silkies are usually very docile. If your getting large fowl chicks from the hatchery, it might be good that they Silkies will be older.

That's just what I was thinking / hoping! The younger chicks will be buff Orpington, barred rock, SLW and EE. So all pretty big breeds.

 

[ShrekDawg]

That's just what I was thinking / hoping! The younger chicks will be buff Orpington, barred rock, SLW and EE. So all pretty big breeds.

I have barred rock, black australorp, buff orpington, and easter egger (EE). Had 2 BR but one passed early on so now down to 1 BR, 2 BA, 3 BO (1 is the free chick), and 2 EE. Turned 7 weeks old Monday. They've been in pretty small quarters off and on just cause I wasn't really prepared for how fast they grow but even then I haven't really had any issues. There was a lot of pecking (of me ) before they started going outside but now they're fine and put them out permanently tonight (they were inside for 3 weeks then have been in the garage since and outside during the day) so that should be good with more space.

ANYWAY.

My point is all seem to get along and the Easter Egger and Barred Rock I used to think were more near the top of the pecking order but now the orpingtons, one in particular, hang out by me and get the good food. I've been letting them out since I've been digging the trench for the dig skirt and it's bug city but most are scared to come out (though today they did) or go back in. This Orp stays by me and gets all the treats I find for her. The BR has not discovered the what worms are yet. The EE just caught on yesterday. Maybe the Orps are simply fatter or smarter rather than higher in the order lol once they all discover it I'm sure there will be chasing. The BAs seem to be lower in the order, they have gotten chased twice so far over treats, the first time pretty badly. Usually it's by the EEs.

Anywho, point being, they are all pretty gentle breeds so should be fine however I have heard that Rocks and Wyandottes can be a little bit bossy and sometimes mean, particularly in introducing new chicks, so I would be careful of those two. However like others said, since they are going to be younger it may hopefully be easier. Also it's not always 100% because like I mentioned, my Orpingtons are ones getting all the treats and the Australorps snatch them and run while the BR and EE usually don't so sometimes pecking order means nothing. However the EEs do chase. The Orps are not really particularly mea about it, though they will snatch treats from others or from me before others get a chance. It all depends. Could be that they're young too

 

[ShrekDawg]

Sorry, that got long