Mixing Different Age Chicks in Brooder

[Ainee]

Hey Ainee, sorry my reply is so delayed! I haven't yet integrated them because they are just 8 weeks and still too small to fend for themselves if they had to towards the big girls. What I ended up doing is setting them up in my little barn and put a small fence around it so when I let them all out to free range in the yard, they can see and be near eachother without getting hurt. So far the girls don't really seem interested in them. At first they were just sort of looking at them, my more dominant girls were puffing up their feathers as if to say "I'm the boss around here" but then left them alone. I think in only a few more weeks I'll start letting them roam loose with the adults. I just want to make sure they are large enough to fend for themselves. I have introduced one adult hen to my flock (a small black polish hen) who obviously stands out with that big white crest lol. She's a pretty dominant bird and seemed like she just made herself at home in the flock. Seems as though my girls are pretty accepting so I hope it'll go well, the only thing I have that in nervous about is the one rooster he will be very large when grown up, he's a white Cochin roo (this will be my first rooster.. I wanted to have a little extra protection for my girls in the winter. I hope it goes well) I'm learning as I go but as for advice, I'd say to keep them separate but in view of eachother until they are big enough in case of a little scuffle

Here's the babies taking their first dust baths!

Thank you for the information and advice! That sounds like a good way to do it. How did it go when you combined the two groups of chicks that were 3 weeks apart in age? Love the dust bathing picture.

 

[ChickieChickAv]

Oh my gosh, I completely forgot to mention that! I ended up not getting the second batch of chicks... So I now just have to integrate these with my adults when ready. I'm sorry, although, I think that I would have had to put them in a separate brooder just until they gain enough strength to play with the "big kids" lol. That's just speculation based on how fast they grow in the first several weeks! I'm sure somebody here must have some personal experience with it though!

 

[Ainee]

Oh my gosh, I completely forgot to mention that! I ended up not getting the second batch of chicks... So I now just have to integrate these with my adults when ready. I'm sorry, although, I think that I would have had to put them in a separate brooder just until they gain enough strength to play with the "big kids" lol. That's just speculation based on how fast they grow in the first several weeks! I'm sure somebody here must have some personal experience with it though!

That makes sense. Thanks! And good luck with the integration!

 

[thompson88]

I have 5,2 week chicks, and 14,1 week chicks. And I haven't had any problems they all mingle and sleep together under there mama pad.

 

[Then I Will]

So glad to hear that this works for some people! I ordered my Black Sumatras from MurrayMcMurray and when they arrived yesterday morning I had 1 DOA, and lost 6 others within 48 hrs. (refused to eat and force feeding only prolonged their misery) I hope to get a refund on them from the hatchery, and use the funds to get some replacements from Meyer Hatchery. The age difference will only be 1 week, so I want to give integrating them early a try... but I hope to have another heat lamp on hand so that I can place them in a separate brooder if things don't work out.
Any other tips will be appreciated. This is my first time handling hatchery chicks. I always preferred to let a mother hen do this job.

 

[Jaime Bates]

I just hatched a baby yesterday so shes a little ocer24 hours old,but she is the only egg that hatched. I have 4 1 and a 1/2 week old babies in my basement in a decent sized dog crate. I was hoping to mix the day oldbaby with the others since she is all by herself. Any suggestions on how?

 

[Chester Hen]

I just hatched a baby yesterday so shes a little ocer24 hours old,but she is the only egg that hatched. I have 4 1 and a 1/2 week old babies in my basement in a decent sized dog crate. I was hoping to mix the day oldbaby with the others since she is all by herself. Any suggestions on how?

Hi Jaime,
I just found this thread by googling. I’m considering almost this exact scenario on Monday and am wondering how it went for you?
My little brood of five will be one week, 3 days old and I’m considering getting one day-old to add to them. I’m using a large dog crate as well.

 

[Mirrormasc09]

So I was actually quite successful at putting hatchlings in with 2 week only birds until..... our extension cord somehow got unplugged over night and cut the power to the heat lamps.... all of the birds huddled.... on top of my fluffy little baby brahmas...

My 2 cents, don’t mix until everyone is mostly feathered out. I’m full of regret on this one.

 

[JustaWeeAcre]

I just wanted to chime in- I started stack hatching, thinking It’d be fine to put 2 week olds with newly hatched etc… but the size difference is crazy. When my day old chicks hatched- I decided that the size difference alone was enough to keep them separate. They all step on each other… I don’t want any losses if I can avoid it.