BackYard Chickens › BYC Forum › Social › New Member Introductions › Completely new to chickens - High Desert south above Palm Springs, CA
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Completely new to chickens - High Desert south above Palm Springs, CA

post #1 of 9
6/16/12 at 11:16pm
Thread Starter 

New to having a chick coop.  I've posted my coop and run photos under the "Coop" thread.  

 

Originally had 8 chicks in June 2009, and now down to 4 in June 2012.  The first died before evening its first molt, then two died a few months apart apparently of natural causes.  The fourth died after two different episodes of, what can only be described as, a prolapsed rectum.  The area under her tail was swollen, inflamed red tissue, covered in bird droppings, etc.  The first time lasted for about a week and then suddenly went away (or back in).  It then happened a few weeks later and after 4 days of that, we discovered her dead in the chicken run.  I searched the internet and this site, but couldn't find any info about a "prolapsed rectum" situation or what might have caused it.

 

The remaining four chickens are extremely healthy and produce eggs every night.  We'd like to bring in 3 or 4 chicks to bring the flock back up, but I'm not sure how the adults will react.  Has anyone had experience introducing chicks to adult chickens?  

High Desert Chicken Guys

Reply

High Desert Chicken Guys

Reply
post #2 of 9
6/16/12 at 11:38pm
  • gryeyes
  • Platinum Poultry
  • Covered in Pet Hair & Feathers

Hey howdy and welcome to BYC!!

 

I brood chicks in the house for a while (it varies by the season, as I have a ginormous brooder in the coop but I like some "in house" brooding time to ensure I see them a whole lot during their first couple of weeks.  Then I move them outside into a "grow-out" coop, or into the Poultry Kindergarten pen built inside the coop just for this purpose.  The chicks hear and see the rest of the flock through the chicken wire pen, and the rest of the flock sees the chicks.  They stay there until they are around 10-12 weeks old, then I open the pen door and let them all mingle.

 

This segregation "in plain sight" tactic works very well, as the chicks are not "strangers" (strangers equal danger) to the flock members AND they are at least as large as the bantam breeds in the flock once I let them all mingle.  I still watch for pecking order issues - however, when using this integration/segregation model, the chicks only suffer the occasional "get out of my way" pecks. 

 

Good luck!

-- Linda (AKA: gryeyes)
I refuse to fight a battle of wits with an unarmed person.

Buncha Outdoor PET chickens, ducks, two Toulouse ganders, and four turkeys. Plus 2 wiener dogs, some bunnies and a rescue cat which owns me. Oh. And a house silkie....

Reply

-- Linda (AKA: gryeyes)
I refuse to fight a battle of wits with an unarmed person.

Buncha Outdoor PET chickens, ducks, two Toulouse ganders, and four turkeys. Plus 2 wiener dogs, some bunnies and a rescue cat which owns me. Oh. And a house silkie....

Reply
post #3 of 9
6/16/12 at 11:42pm
Hi and welcome-byc.gif

Introducing adults to younger chicks can be a bit of a pain, but if they're given time to get used to each other first it shouldn't be too bad. (Maybe a few weeks in separated pens where they can see each other.) We've always also had two feed and water stations at opposite ends of the garden so no fighting goes on during feeding, and for the first few days were on standby to separate anyone that got too enthusiastic about defending their food tray. tongue.png
Good luck!

Don't hesitate to ask any questions you might have, and enjoy the site. big_smile.png
"It's great to have allies... but true character shines through when a man's got to fight for himself, and he becomes the start of something great."
Reply
"It's great to have allies... but true character shines through when a man's got to fight for himself, and he becomes the start of something great."
Reply
post #4 of 9
6/17/12 at 12:55am

Hello and welcome-byc.gif

 

A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked ~ Bernard Meltzer

Reply

 

A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked ~ Bernard Meltzer

Reply
post #5 of 9
6/17/12 at 2:30am

WelcometoBYC.gif

 Crested Ducks                     Common Chicken Practices          Learn more about Avian Influenza

 

 

 
“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.”
— Maya Angelou

 

Reply

 Crested Ducks                     Common Chicken Practices          Learn more about Avian Influenza

 

 

 
“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.”
— Maya Angelou

 

Reply
post #6 of 9
6/17/12 at 8:10am

welcome-byc.gif from New Mexico!

Of all the things I have ever lost, I miss my mind the most. 

Keep one eye on the past, one eye on the future and both eyes on the present. ~ a Raven ~

Reply

Of all the things I have ever lost, I miss my mind the most. 

Keep one eye on the past, one eye on the future and both eyes on the present. ~ a Raven ~

Reply
post #7 of 9
6/17/12 at 8:18am

frow.gif & welcome-byc.gif from Alabama. Glad you joined us.

Dorothy: The woman keeps a chicken in her home, how normal can she be?
Rose: I kept a chicken in my home.
Dorothy: You see my point?
The Golden Girls "Long Day's Journey Into Marinara"

 

Check out my Blog: The Country Chick                          And be sure to check out our soap shop on Etsy, here.

Reply

Dorothy: The woman keeps a chicken in her home, how normal can she be?
Rose: I kept a chicken in my home.
Dorothy: You see my point?
The Golden Girls "Long Day's Journey Into Marinara"

 

Check out my Blog: The Country Chick                          And be sure to check out our soap shop on Etsy, here.

Reply
post #8 of 9
6/17/12 at 9:34am

frow.gif                       welcome-byc.gif              from washington state               glad you joined us!

Pure English Orpington Breeder

*Partridge Orpingtons *Spangle Orpingtons *Jubilee Orpingtons *Chocolate Orpingtons *BBS Orpingtons * English Lavenders* 

* Autumn Farm Orpingtons *

  

Reply

Pure English Orpington Breeder

*Partridge Orpingtons *Spangle Orpingtons *Jubilee Orpingtons *Chocolate Orpingtons *BBS Orpingtons * English Lavenders* 

* Autumn Farm Orpingtons *

  

Reply
post #9 of 9
6/17/12 at 12:34pm
Hi and welcome-byc.gif from Ohio. So glad to have you aboard. thumbsup.gif

TIME is the best thing to spend on a child!
Always calibrate your hygrometer before you incubate!!

Home to Black East Indies, Mandarins, Speckled Sussex, Barred Rock, Golden Buffs, Welsummers, Ameraucanas, Black Australorp, Silver Laced Wyandotte, Two Weimaraners, Two beautiful daughters and a great DH who builds whatever I need!

Reply

TIME is the best thing to spend on a child!
Always calibrate your hygrometer before you incubate!!

Home to Black East Indies, Mandarins, Speckled Sussex, Barred Rock, Golden Buffs, Welsummers, Ameraucanas, Black Australorp, Silver Laced Wyandotte, Two Weimaraners, Two beautiful daughters and a great DH who builds whatever I need!

Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: New Member Introductions
BackYard Chickens › BYC Forum › Social › New Member Introductions › Completely new to chickens - High Desert south above Palm Springs, CA