Mixing different age chicks

[orchard17]

I'm totally new to this whole process so please excuse my ignorance. We are supposed to be getting 6 chicks that my daughter's pre-school hatched two days ago. I had planned on getting 12 chicks total (built the coop so 12 would keep each other warm during our brutal NH winters). The local agway type store has chicks available that are about a week old. Would it be okay to mix these two batches together in the brooder? Anything specific I should watch out for? I guess we won't be getting the hatched chicks until they are about a week old so I would be introducing them to 2 week old chicks which I will pick up today if you guys give me the thumbs up. THanks!

 

[Judy]

They should be close enough in age that it will work. I would put a screen of some sort between them and have two feeders and waterers for at least a few days, so they can see each other. (Does not have to be anything store bought.) Then remove the barrier first thing in the morning and stir them up at the same time; distract them with a treat that you already know they like. Or better yet, have a pen set up outdoors and do the mixing there, with supervision.