putting 3 week olds with 1 week olds?

[Teresaann24]

I have too many seperate brooders and needing to cut down on lack of space. I put my 3 week old silkie chicks with my 1 week old silkie chicks and they seem to be getting along fine. Anyone eles done this and how was the out come?

 

[Sock Puppet]

Ive done it and mine did just fine. Took them about 2 days to figure out the pecking order.

Mine were a little older though. The youngest 4 were 3 weeks and I put them with 2 - 4 wk, 1 - 5 wk and 1 - 6 wk old chick.

Worked out great.

 

[Teresaann24]

good to know things went ok! They seem to be doing fine the 3 week olds seem to be scared of the 1 week olds..LOL Which is quite funny to watch them run from these tiny 1 week old chicks...LOL

 

[meadowsong]

My chicks are 2 weeks and 1 week old, this AM one of my 1 week old chicks appeared to have been suffocated by the bigger birds

At least that is my best bet, since I checked on them and then 2 hours later one was missing and was found under a pile of big black beefy birds. They did get along just fine, but size was the issue here. Something to consider.

 

[Teresaann24]

Thanks for the advice. I have 4-1 weekd olds and only 2- 3 week olds so I hope that wont be a problem.

 

[calgal98]

Add a couple of feather dusters so the little ones can escape the bigger ones. I bungeed one to the side of the brooder and they all love it! it gives the little ones a place to hide when the big ones are *picking*.