Should I get little fluffs or 5 week olds to add to our 8 weekers?

[anniem]

I've mostly decided that I want to get a few more chicks...our 6 (5 when the roo starts crowing!) are 7+ weeks and a family nearby just happens to have 5 weekers of the breeds I want. But the feed store has the same breeds, obviously as 1 week or less little fluffs.
What would be easier to add to the big girls? Close in age and start introducing them soon or brooder the littler babies and do introductions later?

 

[savingdogs]

I was told if they were within three weeks to a month of age you could integrate flocks. It worked for me!

 

[gryeyes]

Wellllll..... if it were me, I'd get the neighbor's 5 wk olds. I've mixed chicks together chicks up to 3 week's difference in age, with no problem. And it would be far less time in the brooder, if any (depending on the weather where you are).

Many would suggest a 30 day quarantine of any fowl from other farms. I played roulette by plunking two 6 wk old chicks in with my four 6 wks old chicks this past time, because they were youngsters, not full grown chickens.

There's some thought in that, actually, which I cannot articulate. Anyway, they were all fine.

So MY anecdotal recommendation is: Go for it!

 

[Chook-A-Holic]

I would go for the 5wk olds myself simply because they are closer in age to yours. I would look them over though and make sure the are healthy, then quarantine.