Tag: Resources

Introducing Hatch-a-Long Chicks to the Flock

Mamma hen was separated from the flock five weeks ago to hatch and raise her baby chicks in a quiet and safe environment.  The chicks are now two weeks old and it’s time to move Mamma and her babies back to the coop. To keep harmony among the flock, I’ve closed off a corner with hardware cloth to allow visibility between the existing flock, Mamma, and babies. The frame is merely PVC pipe cut in 3-foot sections with wire attached using zip ties.

Here’s the set-up I’m using from Nursery to Coop…

Moving the hen with her chicks is best done at night when all the birds are sleeping. Last night wearing my handy headlamp, I headed out to the nursery coop. Throwing a blanket over the nest, I took Mom and her chicks, (nest box and all), and placed it in the designated transition pen inside the coop. Come morning it will be introduction time! Safe, peaceful, and everybody is happy.

After a week or so, I’ll allow Mamma to take her babies out of the enclosure.  She will protect her babies from the existing flock, and at about five weeks, she will begin putting distance between her and them.

Silkie and Chicks 51016

Note:
Many chicken keepers allow their hens to hatch their eggs in a secluded area within the chicken coop. Others move hen and eggs back to coop three or four days before the hatch, both ways are certainly okay. I just like to give my hens a quiet place to do their mothering, it’s merely a personal preference.

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Chicks Ready to Leave the Brooder? Now What!

Chicks just out of the brooder aren’t ready yet to greet the world, and are not ready to join an existing flock. So, there needs to be a middle ground created. This middle ground is called a Grow Out Pen, which is just a fancy name for a safe enclosure for young birds to grow up in!

Grow Out Pens 102015

The guidelines for transitioning chicks from the brooder to a grow-out pen is when the chicks are fully feathered, which is between six and eight weeks. Allow young birds to mature in a grow-out pen until they are around four or five months old.
This is important because, in the chicken world, size definitely matters. Introducing small/young birds to a mature flock is a sure ticket to a drama show, and it could be a bloody one too! Grow-out pens slowly introduce juveniles gradually to an existing flock, making the transition easier for future interaction.
You’ll want to keep your grow pen in plain view of the adult flock. They will be very curious about the youngsters for a few days and then return to business as usual. The chicks will be timid, or hide for the first few days, then will accept their onlookers as nonthreatening and return to normal behavior.

Introduce Change Slowly

The whole key to enjoying chickens is to avoid those problems that cause chaos in the chicken yard.  Nothing good comes from rushing introductions or changes.  The pecking order is serious business, and it’s a given that feeders, drinkers, and nest boxes have already been claimed and will be protected by an existing flock. When your juveniles are ready to join the flock, add more of those sought-after necessities so the new birds aren’t bullied.

Buff Silkie 2 2-9-15

Ready to Leave the Grow Out Pen?

No problem, the trick is to not overthink it. Your existing flock is quite used to seeing the young birds already, and the juveniles are very unlikely to make a mad dash to freedom the minute the grow-out pen door opens.  It’s all a process, one that will naturally go smoothly if you let them exit the grow-out pen on their own. They’ll take a few steps out, then run back in for days, even a week. That’s fine, just close them in at night, and in the morning open the door again.

Social ranking among your chickens will begin almost immediately. Sometimes it’s hard to watch the fuzzy babies you raised all these months to get pushed around, you’ll want to intervene and protect them. My advice to you is to walk away and don’t look for problems. I guarantee, if you look for trouble you’re going to find it! The flock will work everything out on their own over time.  You’ll know when you have to step in, and when to let nature take its course.

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Expecting Baby Chicks Soon? Are you Prepared?

You have chosen your breeds, placed your order, and are waiting for the arrival of your new chickens. Now what?
Well, instead of sitting and waiting, you should make sure you have everything you need and that it works well in advance of the arrival of your chicks! Continue Reading

Preparing For The Arrival Of Your Baby Chicks
by The Happy Chicken Coop
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