Coop Project: Maken the Plunge & Getting Chickens

[aart]

I integrated this years chicks at about 4 weeks old.
They went into the coop at 1 week with their heater, separated by a mostly mesh temporary wall from the main flock.
They had their own feed, water, roost, and run in the 'coop partition' as I call it.
At 4 weeks I opened the three tiny doors in the mesh wall and 'taught' them how to go in and out.
At 6 weeks I took down the wall completely.
There were a few pecks of course, some of the bigs pestered the littles more than others, but overall it was much less dramatic than usual.
I think the chicks were less of a 'threat' than when I used to wait until the chicks were larger...and a smaller, faster target to hit, haha!
Now at 10 weeks old, they all get along pretty darn well.
It was nice to get the integration over sooner rather than later and because I had way more chicks this year it was a very good move to integrate younger,
it's pretty crowded out there, but they are already used to each other.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

That's a slick system, aart.

So it seems that flock integration can be broken down into several key factors:

1. Temporary barrier between established flock and new birds.

2. Birds allowed to visually see each other, and allowed to safely interact.

3. Multiple food & water locations.

4. Gradual removal of barriers to allow integration.

aart, what is your opinion on flock size and integrating?

I think it's more challenging to integrate smaller flocks than it is to integrate two flocks that are larger in size. In smaller flocks aggression is more focused, while in larger flocks aggression is spread out over a larger population.

I have also wondered about the size of the new birds being brought into the flock. For me, integration seems to run more smoothly if the new birds are older and size-wise are closer to the size of the established flock. But in your example...and others that I have read....chicks seem to integrate just fine. Almost as if the established birds see chicks as non-threatening...

Thoughts???

What about breeds? Are some breeds easier to work with on integration?

My experience has shown me that Ameraucanas are an aggressive breed, making it difficult to bring new birds that are not as aggressive and able to stave off the attentions of the Ameraucanas.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

Briefs on breeds that I've kept since beginning this project.

Buff Orpingtons are the friendliest...heck I would say that most any of the Orpingtons are friendly....they are the Golden Retrievers of the poultry world. My Buffs layed large to extra large eggs.

Barred Rocks have become a favorite of mine...there is no doubt. They are a strong well built bird, I enjoy their historical status as a Heritage breed. They lay large to what I would call a jumbo egg. Some can barely fit into an egg carton.

Ameraucanas are a very aggressive breed, when it comes to interactions with other members of a mixed flock. They are talkative, and have a lot of personality. They can be noisy at times. Not a bird that likes to be picked up or handled, they will come when trained, but prefer to keep you at arms length. They seem to be more aware of their surroundings than other members of the flock, they are usually the first to see and react to a pursieved threat.

I would definately try them again, but as a monoculture, not in a mixed flock. They are however very prolific layers, though cold winter weather does seem to get them to slow down more as compared to other breeds. Most of the eggs are a nice well formed medium size, with short runs of larges thrown in occasionally.

The Black Sexlinks are good layers...not a lot of personality though. I do have one girl that is a jealous bird, she goes after any bird that gets to close to me. She is the flock boss and really defends that position in the flock. Prolific layers of large to extra large eggs.

The Welsummer has always been a breed that I want to try. I've had false starts, but they just have an appeal to me. The replacement flock that I'm working on now are all Welsummers. My birds are almost 11weeks old so they are not laying yet; I have no basis to form an opinion as to rate of lay.

3 days

5 weeks

10 weeks

The Australorp has been a breed that always comes to the forefront when I'm considering my next replacement flock. I always hear good things about that breed.

The Marans is another breed that has held my attention and made my list of future flocks to possess and study. There is a lot of mystery concerning this breed, sort of a folklore status. The thing that holds me back each time and stops me from starting this breed, are the people that keep the breed. My opinion in general: Marans People...not a friendly group, some of the least welcoming and very click-ish. This passive aggressiveness within the "Club" is a main reason why this year's replacement flock are Welsummers and not Marans. I'm not talking about the group as a whole. There are those within the Marans Community that are amazing, but there is significant element within this "Club" that are very exclusive...that's a turn-off for most people. I'm really not into hierarchies and cow-towing. But the breed...it caught my attention many years ago.

Recently the Welbar has caught my eye. But that would be a consideration as part of a breeding program, where I would maintain size able flocks and breed birds to standard. I have to say, the Welbar is very attractive to me, it has a lot of strong similarities to the Welsummer. If the Welsummer becomes one of my favorites, after I've had them for at least a year or so, the Welbar is going to be something that I would pursue diligently.

I'll post a "Wish List" of breeds that I would really like to try, and a brief as to why this or that breed captures my attention.

 

[toofarout]

I currently have 4 cuckoo marans chicks in my brooder. They are 2 weeks old and are straight run. If any turn out to be females I will keep those and let you know from time to time how they do.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

I currently have 4 cuckoo marans chicks in my brooder.  They are 2 weeks old and are straight run.  If any turn out to be females I will keep those and let you know from time to time how they do.

OMG...thank you so much. That is so kind of you. The Cuckoo Marans is the breed type that always comes to mind when I think of a Marans.

I greatly appreciate the thought, you just made my whole day.

Post an image of the chicks, it would be great to see them as they grow and develop...just sayin.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

Isn't it amazing the difference that only a few weeks can make...

The beginning of spring with its warm days and cool nights; trees leafing out....and THEN!!!

No that's not snow on the ground...

....that's cotton....

...from our cottonwood tree. It's been an especially bad year this year. Must be El Niño. It's mostly over now, at least the constant rain of debris has slowed down a lot. Few more days and it should be over...not soon enough though.

Lawn mower with a bagger and I'll have most of this picked up...but what a mess.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

The Development of a Buff Orpington Cockerel

The breed in these images is the Buff Orpington, but the physical and behavioral traits presented could be applied to most any breed. The pictures should give you a focused impression of what to look for if you suspect there is a young cockerel developing in your flock.

Keep in mind, however, I am unfamiliar with the various Asian Breeds and their development traits.

The upper image is the cockerel, the lower image is the pullet. The cockerel's comb is ever so slightly more developed than the pullet. Until you develop an eye for what you are looking for in a very young cockerel, you almost need to be holding one in each hand to tell. Once you develop an eye for it though, the difference becomes readily apparent. There is also just a hint of redness beginning to appear in the cockerel's comb and pinkish red in the beginning of his wattles

Mostly, you will notice a fearlessness in the behavior of the cockerel. He will be the first to great you. He'll run right up to you, putting himself between you and the rest of the flock, as he did when the upper image was taken...then sorta give you a, "Why did I just do that?" kind of look. In the above images, they are at what I call the Raggamuffin Stage, about 4 to 5 weeks of age.

The lead bird in this image is the cockerel. His comb is redder and more developed than the pullets. 7 to 8 weeks in age.

In this image the cockerel again has the redder more developed comb at 8 to 9 weeks of age.

Once his hackles started coming in, it was pretty easy to tell which was the Cockerel. Also look at his tail feathers as compared to the pullets in this photo. They are right around 12 to 13 weeks in this image.

And the dead give away is when the Cockerel starts making weird raspy chortling noises as he is learning how to Crow. He is right around 13 to 14 weeks in this image.


...his name was Pecker, by the way.

 

[GardenNut]

Isn't it amazing the difference that only a few weeks can make...

The beginning of spring with its warm days and cool nights; trees leafing out....and THEN!!!

No that's not snow on the ground...

....that's cotton....

...from our cottonwood tree. It's been an especially bad year this year. Must be El Niño. It's mostly over now, at least the constant rain of debris has slowed down a lot. Few more days and it should be over...not soon enough though.

Lawn mower with a bagger and I'll have most of this picked up...but what a mess.

My yard looks like that after brushing my two German Shepherds! Hair everywhere!

 

[Rock Home Isle]

My yard looks like that after brushing my two German Shepherds! Hair everywhere!

Like a Sheepdog caught in a weedwacker...Blamo.....

The cotton is still coming down, though not at such a high rate.

We're past the worst of it.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

Thought for the day