I have a lot of questions.....

[hazen]

I've been a "backyard flock manager" for a year now.....My family of 5 and I really enjoy the girls.....My two year old loves the "bok boks"..... Ol' Halls Feed and Seed will be getting their spring shipment in Friday....And of course we will be there to pick out our new crew....Still in my rookie season, i have alot of questions....Here we go! 1. What are some of the best precautions to take to ensure that flock gets along after their introduction. 2. How long will the old crew (only a year old) lay eggs and I know what cull means.....But darn, these birds have turned into pets.... That being said, when and how should one cull.....3. Any tips other than the obvious (clean water, food, shelter) that could help maintain a happy and healthy flock.....BYC forum has really helped me out alot.....but you can never get enough good advice.....Thanks

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

If the new ones are chicks they need to be kept away untilnthey feather out and get some size on them. You will want them on chick starter with a heat source at first.


How are your current ones housed? Pictures are good.


Egg production (someone correct me if I am wrong) is 3-4 years slowing at the end.

 

[JustAChickenLittle&More]

Well...let me see. Introducing into the flock can be nerve racking. However, I would definitely seperate them by at least a netting of some sort for a few weeks so they can sorta get used to each other. If you are introducing chicks to an adult flock, once you place them in with the adults, it is a good idea to have something in there that the little ones can hide under or around so that the bigger ones can't really do much harm.

I have a few different pens of chicken breeds. I recently acquired two americana hens that I isolated for 30 days and then put them in with the one flock because I thought heck they were all adults. No way, these two ladies took over that pen, and they are banties, they wouldnt let the others eat or drink without grief. Needless to say they have been banned to the outside of the pen, where they are now looking in and cackling like crazy because they are... well....aggravated to be on the other side of the fence.

I can't decide whether I want to sell them as they are great blue egg layers, or try to re introduce them. I'm thinking long and hard about it.

 

[kmsek]

introduce the chickens at night this will cut down on bullying (although my silkie bantam hen still runs all of my barred rocks and ee's around pen )

 

[elmo]

Are you buying point of lay chickens, or chicks? As others have noted, you can't put chicks in with adult chickens. Carnage would likely result. And you shouldn't just shove adult birds in with an established flock, either. It's recommended to quarantine new adult birds for 30 days to determine if they have any diseases that they could transmit to your flock. After quarantine, pen the newbies next to the flock where they can see, but not get, to one another. After a couple of weeks, begin to integrate the two groups with plenty of space (free ranging is ideal). If the birds are confined to a run, make sure there are some "bully baffles" ...some vertical items that a victim of bullying can run and hide behind. Even old cardboard boxes will work for this purpose. There will be a period of transition in which the new pecking order gets worked out. As long as no blood is being shed, you don't need to intervene.

Do be sure you have enough room in your housing for more chickens. If not, you can always build more space!

Laying characteristics depend on the breed of hen. Some breeds have been developed to lay like the dickens for one or two years, then peter down to almost nothing. Other breeds lay pretty steadily (but maybe not as intensively) for quite a few years.

 

[hazen]

Thanks to all......

 

[gryeyes]

Then again, you could be like me and plan ahead NOT to cull any chicken simply because she doesn't lay eggs any more.

I didn't get them for egg production. I got them to provide excellent fertilizer and to eradicate bugs... and they'll do that as long as they are mobile. The eggs are a bonus, a gift to me for taking care of them.

 

[hazen]

I like that approach....I know my wife and kids would feel the same!