Mixing different ages of chicks

[Must Be Losing It]

I've two 1-month old silkies and 3 two week old silkies. Can I put them in the same pen? If not, how long before they can be brought together?

 

[Tuffoldhen]

My opinion is they need to be about the same size before you can introduce them together...I just tried for the 100th time to put some 1 week olds in with 3 week olds and for the life of me it does not work... so I have 2 brooders going...

Silkies have vaulted skulls don't they? and pecking would not be a good thing...they are fragile in that regard....

Maybe someone else can get it to work but I never have...

 

[eggzettera]

I just posted this on "New Chick Question" thread:

I just did this with chicks even further apart in ages & they were just fine. Just watch the behaviour to begin with.

I think/hoping that the once I added were all female so there was no problem...theory being if 1 had been a potential roo' the older male chicks might have gone after it.... just a personal theory.​

 

[WillsMama93]

With my first (2), they were 2 weeks older than my new batch of (3) day-old babies, and they mixed just fine, right from the begining.. but when we got our last (2).. again, 2 weeks younger than my youngest chicks, the older chicks took to them just fine, but my "middle" children will have nothing to do with them, and have been known to gang up on them so that they cannot get to the safety of my oldest 2.. so, we are waiting a bit longer, until they can catch up a little. We do let them play outside together though, and they all seem to get along well when playing in the grass.

 

[Must Be Losing It]

Hmmmm, everyone has a valid comment but all mixed. Here's what I'm thinking.

My month olds are in an old rabbit cage w/ a heat lamp and the 2 week olds are in a cat litter box w/ a 60 watt bulb. The rabbit cage is huge. I'm thinking that I can put up a chicken wire divider w/ the light in the middle to keep both groups warm.

The rush is I have frizzle cochins due this weekend and both my brooders are busy w/ two different age groups. Why I didn't plan this better, I just don't know.

 

[Gindee77]

My chicks aren't as far apart in age but I put the 2 week olds in with the 3 week olds with a wire divider between them in the chick corral. They could see each other and be right next to them without being able to fight. In a few days I put them all together and they did fine. I plan to use this method (got the idea on here

) to introduce my 6 week olds to my 2 week olds (when they get that old). I don't know if it will work as well, but we'll see. If not, I'll keep them separate until they are more evenly sized.

 

[kevin2010]

i dont know about that i mixed my 9 week old or 8 or somethin in their light brahmas which were almost nothing but roos with my 1 year old barred roo and they dont fight or nothin andd he is bigger then them heak he even lays with them under his wing if i can i will get a pic of it

 

[Must Be Losing It]

A picture will be great. I'll try tonight for a short while and maybe I'll gradually do the mix until on a permanent basis when the new chicks hatch.

Either way I need to do something and soon.

Its so tough being a mother hen!

 

[Grass]

i put 4week old rhode island reds and 2 week old EEs in the same brooder .......just keep an eye on them for the first day or 2
biggest issue i had was one the younger chicks thought it was boss for a day or so...now they all in the coop together with no problems at all.

 

[frankie5316]

I mixed six 1 week old chicks with three of my 3 week old chicks and it worked out great! They couldn't live without eachother and best of all, my older chicks would take care of my smaller chicks by wraping they're wings around them. It was great to see them getting along.