Mixed ages/sizes in brooder?

[Bettacreek]

I have 8 two week old buttons in my brooder, and two bantam chicken chicks. Will the newly hatched buttons be ok in there once they're done hatching, or should I set up another brooder? The chicken chicks are extremely good with the two weekers, but I wonder about the new guys. Should I just set up the other brooder and not take the risk?

 

[ButtonQuailHeaven]

The older Buttons will pick on the new ones mercilessly. I would not do it at all. You will have to set up a new brooder. I never mix ages unless they are only a few days apart and even that doesn't work sometimes. Two week differences are huge in the Buttons as they mature so fast they will be much larger than the babies that are newly hatched. They will also go after their feet really badly. Been there, done that when I first started with them. Best to keep separate hatches separate. Good luck with your new ones!!

 

[monarc23]

I've put new born buttons in with older buttons but i sit there and i dont let the older buttons anywhere near the new chicks until the new chicks are up and able to get away if anything happens.


I do the same with coturnix.....I even had new born buttons in with large young coturnix quails and had no problems as long as the babies can walk around they were always fine.

Right now i have chicken chicks born on valentines day, in with coturnix chicks born before that (yet the chicken chicks are bigger than the older coturnix chicks), a new born RIR chick, and a i thikn 4 day old coturnix chick.....it's so tiny it can stand up right under a chicken chick and not even touch it's fluff LOL! No problems at all. I plan to put more new borns in there as they hatch too....as long as you watch and make sure the newbies arent getting pecked while they're weak and still sleeping i'd watch like a hawk or put them in something that keeps thems tll warm in teh brooder yet away from the other chicks physically touching or stepping on the newbies.

 

[Bettacreek]

Alright, thanks guys. I'll set up a new one for the newest babies. Being my first ever successful hatch, I really don't want to chance anything.
Monarc, I'm glad I'm not the only one with chickies and quail together, lol. My 2 weekers really like the chicken chicks, they're constantly "brooding" under them like they would their mother, and the chickens don't seem to mind them.

 

[monarc23]

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haha yeppers that's what mine do too it's the most cutest thing ever! I kind of hope it will make them more motherly, maybe enough that someday I can have a hen that will sit her own eggs like buttons will

 

[ButtonQuailHeaven]

I had a Coturnix brood some Button babies before too. It was adorable!! She was the same age as them but they thought she was their mother. She even started laying at 5 weeks. I think she was eager to start her own little family after that experience!!

I had a Button chick with a Serama chicken chick once too. The Button chick was a loner one that was the only one that hatched from under one of my Doves. He loved it when the newborn Serama chick came along. They loved each other and were the same size for a little while.

 

[monarc23]

Quote:
awh