Older chick wants to be with younger chicks? Help?

[amarook]

I hope I'm putting this in the right place.
I have a 5 week old RIR chick. It came down with spraddle legs when it was 2 weeks old. I taped it for 2-2 1/2 weeks, and now it can get around and stand. But it's rate of development seemed to slow down. It's now much smaller than it's brooder mates. (We call it gimpy.)

Yesterday I acquired 6 BO chicks from TSC. They are in the same brooder, but separated by chicken wire.
When I went out on Pasty butt patrol, I noticed that Gimpy was cheeping really loudly and looking into the section where the new chicks are. Since he's so small I stuck him in with them for a second to see what would happen. He was instantly quiet. The little ones all came and checked him out. A couple pecked at him. One just kept staring at him.
I took him back out and put him back with the other RIRs. The thing is the RIRs don't pay attention, and sometimes step on Gimpy.

Do you think it would be ok to put Gimpy in with the BOs permanently?


I took a picture of 2 of them together.

Here's one of the "normal" RIRs looking at a BO chick.

THANKS!

 

[SeramaLife]

It should be fine as long as no one gets picked on. Anything to make them happy.

 

[Kung Foo Chicken]

It will be fine. The only thing will happen will the larger will accidentally bowl them over every now and then. I had a six week old in with day olds. They follow the bigger chick around like a mother even now.