I have very limited experience with chickens. Right now I have four silkies that are 4 weeks old that I hatched at home. I am getting an order of six day old chicks (standard breeds) from My Pet Chicken this week sometime. I am planning to keep them separate for a week to quarantine before I attempt to put them together. Is that long enough? I know that when the new chicks come in the mail they will be stressed and I have purchased pedialyte for them. Is that better than sugar water? Should I give sugar water instead? Anything else I should be doing to prepare for hatchery chicks?
I believe the recommended quarantine time is a month, & that they should not be too close, then you have to assimilate them let them see each other but not able to get to each other for a week..... Pedialyte is better then plain ole sugar water but you may want purchase some Avian Charge (my local feedlot did not carry so I bought online @ McMurray), it comes in powdered form so you just mix as needed. Its basically a multivitamin for chickens & good to have on hand for stressed or sick birds..sounds like you have the basics covered - good luck