Mixing chicks (1 week younger)

[UpstateNewbie]

Hi everyone! Still pretty new at this but had a successful "rearing" of chicks last year and I'm at it again- how do you stop yourselves lol?! Finally understanding chicken math!! I just LOVE my girls = D

Anyway, I had some chicks shipped this week (hatched Monday 4/3) and lost 2 rapidly (so sad). The others are doing great thankfully. I am having a few more shipped who's hatch date is 4/10 and was wondering if it would be ok to combine the groups after maybe a day or 2 of adjustment after arrival. I see several posts on the subject but none quite the same as my question. Any advice would be great! Thanks!!

 

[TheKindaFarmGal]

What breeds are they? It would probably be ok if you make sure that the littles get enough food.

 

[drumstick diva]

I would keep an eye on them for the first couple of days. Maybe you could add something to the brooder, to draw attention away from the newbies. Like maybe a brightly colored ball to push around, or a real branch for them to practice roosting. Just something else for them to focus on.

 

[Hillaire]

I hatched out 11 of my own cochin bantams a week ago and just yesterday got 7 silkie chicks and put them in with them. There weren't any problems at all. The hatched ones are a little bigger but nothing to worry about. It's funny one of the silkie chicks was actually picking on one of the bigger ones by grabbing it's foot (nothing bad they were all fine).

 

[UpstateNewbie]

A distraction! Awesome, I will try that. The current chicks are a brahma, a wyandotte, and 2 golden buffs. Additions will be 2 golden buffs and another wyandotte

 

[TikiRoost6]

I just added silkies to my flock & 2 were about a week younger. I put in some fodder (which they love) to distract while I introduced the new babies & never had a problem!!

 

[TheKindaFarmGal]

A distraction! Awesome, I will try that. The current chicks are a brahma, a wyandotte, and 2 golden buffs. Additions will be 2 golden buffs and another wyandotte

Sounds good. I think they should do ok together.

 

[debid]

I added one a week after the rest and the chicks acted like the new one had always been there. It's a lot easier when they have no pecking order yet.

 

[UpstateNewbie]

Thank you everyone! I am far less nervous now

 

[abs45]

I use the MHP in my brooder, so it's dark at night. I slipped my new chicks under the MHP after dark, so they all "woke up" together the next morning like they'd been together all along.