- Apr 9, 2016
- 13
- 21
- 79
A few weeks ago I got 2 chicks as a birthday gift. They are currently housed in a metal dog crate in my living room but eventually I need to move them outside with my 2 adult hens. The chicks are 3 weeks old and due to the beautiful weather lately are only needing the heat lamp at night. When they are 5 weeks old and a little more feathered they will move out to the back porch. My hens should be able to hear them peeping from there. They will stay there until they are weaned off the heat light. Then the plan is to set their cage up inside the chicken run where my ladies can see then and get to know them but not actually get to them. Then after about 2 weeks of that I hope to let them share the run giving the chicks plenty of places to hide and an extra feeder and waterer to be sure everybody gets fed. I will add some new "toys" for my ladies and hope that they find them more interesting than the chicks. Clara's favorite is a peeled cucumber "tetherball" and Fancy's favorite is a mirror. I will leave their cage in the run with the door open so ther can still sleep there if they are more comfortable. Then I will eventually move the chicks into the coop at night and hope for the best. I am going to add another roosting bar just in case my old ladies don't want to share their roost with the young whippersnappers.
Is there anything I should plan to do differently? I have never done this before and I am a bit nervous. I want to put them together with the least amount of trauma possible. I would appreciate any advice anybody can give on adding chicks to a flock.
Is there anything I should plan to do differently? I have never done this before and I am a bit nervous. I want to put them together with the least amount of trauma possible. I would appreciate any advice anybody can give on adding chicks to a flock.
