Took in some chicks from friends..

[tdigital]

Hello everyone!
We have a young flock of 2 Plymouth Rocks and 2 Rhode Island Reds. A friend of ours took 2 chicks from a feed store a few weeks back and realized it was a bad choice for them. We have a coop that could fit 10 so we decided to help them out. They had no idea how to raise chicks, and have no idea what breed they are. I can’t tell either... anyone?
Our hens are about 6 months old, very healthy and big! Not yet egg bearing. These chicks I would guess are 4 weeks. I know they were raised with a regular house lamp, now they under a red heat lamp... and already seen calmer than when we first got them today. One is slightly smaller than the other and may have been pecked at by the larger one. Upon first putting them in the their current environment, the smaller one seemed to pant and bury itself in the shavings while the other strutted around. Now, just a few hours later, both seem more calm.
First, what breed are these? (Previous owners do not know)
Second, should we keep an eye out for the pecking of the small one by the bigger one?
Third, when and how should we introduce them to the 4 others?

Long winded, thank you in advance!

 

[Natalie783]

They look like ameraucana chicks, with the stripe on the back and striped wings.

 

[Feather Fanatic 2000]

Could be Easter Eggers based off of their "chipmunk" pattern and pretty green legs, and 4 weeks sounds about right. I'm slightly concerned about the behavior of the small one, not so much that it may be getting bullied but that it is panting and acting strangely. You can introduce them the big girls once they are feathered out and big enough, I usually do around 8-10 weeks. The only problem is that this age requires grower food, while your pullets probably eat layer food. An easy solution that I use in my mixed-age flock is to feed them all grower, then give free choice oyster shell on the side. The extra protein won't hurt the layers, but the added calcium in layer food can cause deadly complications later on in the babies.

 

[tdigital]

Thank you so much for the quick replies!
These chicks seem much happier and calm now in the environment they are in. No panting or borrowing behaviors from the smaller one, and I haven’t seen any pecking since putting them in their new home.
Completely understand the feed situation. We’ll think about that.
It seems these chicks may have lost their chick feathers rather quickly for their age. Is that a thing? At their age, I thought our other birds still had much more chick feathers.
Again, thanks in advance... what a great community we have here!

 

[Crazy for Chickens!]

I don't know the breed, but they could be EEs. Your one chick may have been hot. Also, sometimes they like to take dust baths in the shavings. How close Is the heat lamp? That looks like a small space, so you. Red to make sure there is enough solace to get away from the heat. We move our chicks outside when they are six weeks old. We put them on a regular bulb in the day, and then turn on the heat lamp in the day around that age. Then we start having no light in the day and putting the regular bulb on at night. After that, we turn everything off. The chicks do t like it at first, but soon get used to it. They will be needing bigger space very soon.

 

[rebrascora]

I'm thinking maybe silver phoenix..... see this thread linked below....
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/ideal-poultry-mystery-pullet.807830/