Mixing chicks of different ages...

[HenMamma]

Hello,

Newbie mom here, I ordered Chicks 2 weeks ago (3 Buff Orp, # Easter Egg), they should be here May13th. In the meantime I went down to TSC for supplies and liberated the last 2 white rocks from lonesomeness. They will be 3 weeks old when I bring home the new chicks. Will I be able to keep them in the same brooder?

 

[chickenhawk59]

Probably not i had 2 four week old chicks then i received my order from ideal the other day of 26 chicks i thought that it would be all right to have them together, but that did not work. So be prepared to keep them apart.

 

[pasofinofarm]

I mix my chicks... I have a large central brooder in the mud room... When we have a new hatch they go in there... with whoever is in there already from the last hatch or two... they get taken out when they are fully feathered and can go out to the coops. If I get a meany troublemaker that pecks the little ones then "he" (it always turns out to be a roo) gets a trip out to the coops early, sort of ready or not. Being with the older bigger chicks and the full grown chickens stops bad behavior dead in it's tracks.

Blessings,

 

[JenniferC]

I had 3 week old chicks and introduced 3 day olds no problem. A week later I introduced another baby, no problem. The trick for me seems to be to keep them separate, but where they can hear, and maybe even see each other. I only keep them separate for a few hours- then mix.

One thing I have done, though, is I put the chicks in a brooder big enough for everyone, and when they mix the big ones go into the little ones' brooder- rather than dumping new chickies in to the already established box.

I don't know if chickens are territorial or not, but it seems to have worked out fine doing it this way.

 

[HenMamma]

JenifferC I am going to try your separation idea. My 2 seem kinda lonely right now, and I don't think they would mind some copany.