New chicks plus old chicks?

[robinaggie]

I have two four-week-old BRs in a pen together. I have four three-day-old BOs and one something-rather-aggressive in a brooder. The aggressive chick is all over the BOs, and I want to take her out of the brooder. Can I put her with the older BRs? Everybody is outside, and nobody is getting heat lamps - I'm in Texas and it's 95 during the day and close to 80 at night.

I was going to introduce the new chick to the BRs during their free-range time this evening, and if they got along I was going to put the three of them in the pen and watch to see what happens. Even if everything went well this evening, would the BRs beat up the chick when they woke up in the morning and found it in their pen?

 

[mmajw]

I would not put ones that are 4 weeks with ones that are 3 days that is a little young to mix with 4 week olds. They could kill her.

 

[fowlwoman1]

I would see how it goes. I have about 20 2-3 week olds to which I added 3 day old chicks to just yesterday. they did totally fine. they get a little trampled sometimes, but there's enough space so that it doesn't get serious. no pecking problems at all. but 2-3 weeks is different from 4 weeks old. they grow very fast.

 

[robinaggie]

Yes, they do grow fast! I'll give it more time before I try to mix them. Thanks for your advice.

 

[Grindlefamily]

I mixed 2 - 5 weeks with 3- 1 week and 1 - day old and all went well. I did sit right there and watch and talk to them in hopes that they would not pick.

Louella