multiple hatch dates, can I combine in brooder?

[Bobmc914]

We are looking at getting some new chicks this spring. We already have a flock of 12 hens, and we are planning to get to 30 total with new chicks this spring.
The questions I'm asking are because I ordered Bielefelders from Omega hills, and we also plan to get some chicks from the local feed store. It gets more complicated in that the breeds we want from the feed store are not all scheduled to come in on the same date. So we would be looking at adding a few chicks each in 3 or 4 groups over the course of about 3 weeks. The chicks hatch dates should all be within that 3 weeks. Is that close enough to just put them all together?

 

[3KillerBs]

We are looking at getting some new chicks this spring. We already have a flock of 12 hens, and we are planning to get to 30 total with new chicks this spring.
The questions I'm asking are because I ordered Bielefelders from Omega hills, and we also plan to get some chicks from the local feed store. It gets more complicated in that the breeds we want from the feed store are not all scheduled to come in on the same date. So we would be looking at adding a few chicks each in 3 or 4 groups over the course of about 3 weeks. The chicks hatch dates should all be within that 3 weeks. Is that close enough to just put them all together?

It might work. When I got the first birds of this flock I had 2 Light Brahmas who were 2 weeks older than the others -- which wasn't a problem because, first, they were outnumbered, second, they're slower developing so after a few weeks they were about level in developmental stage.

But if your brooder is good and big you might be able to partition it, at least until each batch is through the first week or so -- out of the new baby stage.

I'm not an expert though.

 

[Poodlemum]

It depends a lot of the breeds. My Wyandottes were super buttholes lol. Definitely couldn’t have added younger to them! The Sapphire Gems took two groups of two chicks each over the course of a bit under a month. Mothered them, tucked them under their wings… Very easy! My current Whiting True Blues are a bit rowdy, but not to the point I feel my smaller chicks need to be moved. I added a group of 3 chicks to a group of (14ish?) WTB and 4 Orps about a week after. Maybe longer?