Will 6 day older chick fit in with four others we got?

[hrhta812]

We had one chick hatch with a broody hen, and we got a few others about a week later. Based on hatch dates, the single chick is 6 days older than the group of four EE chicks.

If we put the single chick in with the others, will they pick on it, or vice versa? They should all be roughly the same size when grown, but the single one is visibly bigger right now.

 

[RonC]

They are of close enough age there shouldn't be any problems.

 

[Eggcessive]

Can you not just leave the chick with the broody hen to raise? I have 3 broodies right now with single chicks because of deaths or eggs not hatching and they are fine. Do you just want the older chick to be with the younger ones so that it will be part of the group? If you put them together I would think they would be fine--just watch them in the brooder closely for the first day or 2.

 

[hrhta812]

I was mostly just thinking of it from a convenience standpoint. Right now we've got three separate groups, so I was thinking it'd simplify things if we just had babies and adults, instead of adults, momma & baby, and then 4 babies.

Also, I can't even touch the single one because momma is a mean protector. I can hardly refresh food and water without her trying to peck at me. LOL I want all our chicks to be comfortable with being handled, so I wanted to be working on that every day. The single is now 17 days old and I've never held it. I'm kind of worried that momma's attitude will make him [or her] afraid of me.

 

[donrae]

You can put all the babies together, they'll be fine.

 

[hrhta812]

These are my newer little ones, four EE pullets hatched 7/9 according to the seller, and they are so stinkin' cute, we can hardly stand them! They don't like the flash on the camera at all, poor babies.