- Apr 19, 2013
- 368
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So I'm getting 4 new hens from the hatchery in just about 3 weeks (the 26th), they are from their breeding stock, so full grown. I have 20 hens now (various hybrids 1 year), 6 EE Pullets, (will be 13 weeks) 6 EE cockerels (13 weeks), and 1 full grown rooster (1 year). So far every chicken on my property has been bought as a day old chick.
1. These hens are coming from the same place I got all my chicks from, should I/do I have to quarantine (as it is a hatchery, they would have strict bio-security on their end)
2. Two are Silkies, and 2 black australorps, I have a cat crate I was going to use for pickup, it's a 15 minute drive home, that should be fine, right? there is lots of room for a single standard bird to walk around, two to spread out, and relax (not that I expect they will)
3. My flock accepted the chicks at 4 weeks, no real problems, only one injury, so I'm not concerned about the smaller size of the silkies, but are they likely to get along ok with the black australorps if I keep them in the same introductory cage, or should I put a divider in? The introductory cage I used for the chicks is a large dog crate with 2 doors, it allows for you to put in a divider anywhere along the length, I will be using this again.
4. How long would you wait to open up the cage at night, and let them out, or would you do it during the day, while almost everyone else was outside wandering around the pen/yard, since they will have seen them in the coop for several days first.
1. These hens are coming from the same place I got all my chicks from, should I/do I have to quarantine (as it is a hatchery, they would have strict bio-security on their end)
2. Two are Silkies, and 2 black australorps, I have a cat crate I was going to use for pickup, it's a 15 minute drive home, that should be fine, right? there is lots of room for a single standard bird to walk around, two to spread out, and relax (not that I expect they will)
3. My flock accepted the chicks at 4 weeks, no real problems, only one injury, so I'm not concerned about the smaller size of the silkies, but are they likely to get along ok with the black australorps if I keep them in the same introductory cage, or should I put a divider in? The introductory cage I used for the chicks is a large dog crate with 2 doors, it allows for you to put in a divider anywhere along the length, I will be using this again.
4. How long would you wait to open up the cage at night, and let them out, or would you do it during the day, while almost everyone else was outside wandering around the pen/yard, since they will have seen them in the coop for several days first.
