***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[Loriemarler]

I waved at you!

You guys have fun! I'm going to the Newcastle auction tommorrow and plan on wearing my poops shirt.

 

[artsyrobin]

Couple of questions for the experienced folks

I have two different aged flocks - 16 of them are 3+ months old and the second are just now 2 months old and there are 26 of them.
The 16 are living in the run, while the 26 are living inside the coop. When I free range the older girls the babies get to have a couple hours in the run each day, but I need to integrate them so they all have access to the coop and run together.

So, what is the best way to go about introducing them and are they big enough yet? Or should I wait a few more weeks until they are more similar in size? I would say the older girls are about 1/3 bigger at this time and have no doubt they could do some serious damage to the wee ones if I don't do this properly.

Thanks in advance

I'd wait till they are a little bigger, how safe is the run for the older ones? an you section the coop off, so they can both be in there?

 

[ashtree]

I need a good docile foraging breed of chicken. Recommendations? My silkies run from anything that moves and my cochins would rather spend the day doing nothing.

My husband thinks I should feed them less pellets, but with the heat I don't think its a good idea. What do you guys think? My chickens have reign over our compost piles and I almost never see them going thro it.

@bardies the porcelain (we named Birdie-but thats somehow turned into Berdita ) has spent the last week backed up to the fan in the coop. She literally stands there, butt to the fan, and tries to keep all the other chickens from it.

Oh man she's got us cracking up. Thats one sizable butt too.

Looks like Ill be at the Newcastle auction tomorrow!

But I probably won't be able to stay long. In laws are coming to Norman for Jazz in June.

 

[Kyzmette]

I need a good docile foraging breed of chicken. Recommendations? My silkies run from anything that moves and my cochins would rather spend the day doing nothing. My husband thinks I should feed them less pellets, but with the heat I don't think its a good idea. What do you guys think? My chickens have reign over our compost piles and I almost never see them going thro it. 

@bardies
 the porcelain (we named Birdie-but thats somehow turned into Berdita ) has spent the last week backed up to the fan in the coop. She literally stands there, butt to the fan, and tries to keep all the other chickens from it. Oh man she's got us cracking up. Thats one sizable butt too. 

Looks like Ill be at the Newcastle auction tomorrow!   But I probably won't be able to stay long. In laws are coming to Norman for Jazz in June. 

Swedish Flower Hens are foraging CHAMPS! And they're super friendly and inquisitive. You might want to ask Cathie Sue if she's selling chicks or eggs yet. Just one note... SFH will forage all over the place, and will travel if they have a large area to travel in. They always come back, but they won't stay right ark nd the coop.

 

[Kyzmette]

Oh, check this out! For beating the heat, if you're already using a fan, this wouldn't be much more power. I already keep milk jugs of ice in the freezer, so if I used those it would be pretty easy to recycle the ice.

 

[ashtree]

Oh, check this out! For beating the heat, if you're already using a fan, this wouldn't be much more power. I already keep milk jugs of ice in the freezer, so if I used those it would be pretty easy to recycle the ice.

WOW thats crazy resourceful. I love "30 bucks plus tax, thats almost free"

We are actually those crazy people that don't use AC much, we haven't turned ours on yet this year. When it hits the 100s we usually turn it on for a few hours but we really live outside anyway! I love this idea tho, and I know Berdita would too.

 

[ashtree]

Swedish Flower Hens are foraging CHAMPS! And they're super friendly and inquisitive. You might want to ask Cathie Sue if she's selling chicks or eggs yet. Just one note... SFH will forage all over the place, and will travel if they have a large area to travel in. They always come back, but they won't stay right ark nd the coop.

Just looked up the breed and they look incredible! Wow! Ill see if I can find any.

They're highly reviewed on the boards.

 

[artsyrobin]

red neck ac for the hens... fan + jug of ice,

 

[bardies]

I need a good docile foraging breed of chicken. Recommendations? My silkies run from anything that moves and my cochins would rather spend the day doing nothing.

My husband thinks I should feed them less pellets, but with the heat I don't think its a good idea. What do you guys think? My chickens have reign over our compost piles and I almost never see them going thro it.

@bardies the porcelain (we named Birdie-but thats somehow turned into Berdita ) has spent the last week backed up to the fan in the coop. She literally stands there, butt to the fan, and tries to keep all the other chickens from it.

Oh man she's got us cracking up. Thats one sizable butt too.

Looks like Ill be at the Newcastle auction tomorrow!

But I probably won't be able to stay long. In laws are coming to Norman for Jazz in June.

That's funny! Glad that Berdita has taken over!

 

[YardBirdMom]

I'd wait till they are a little bigger, how safe is the run for the older ones? an you section the coop off, so they can both be in there?

Okay, I guess I'm rushing the process, but it's getting SO hot and I want them to be able to access the run during the heat of the day. I am giving them fresh water in the morning and evening and have a fan on them with the windows/screen open on the door - which is on the inside of the run.
The run is 100% predator proof .... It would take a bear to get in my run and we don't have them here! The sheet metal is 12" in the ground with welded wire all around and I use a bull snap to secure the door - coons cannot open it. We could possibly come up with something to temporarily section it, hadn't thought of that, so thanks
How much longer should I wait to integrate the two flocks??