A couple what breed questions.

[debid]

View attachment 1149190 For a while I thought I had 2 roosters and one hen. I was consistently getting one egg a day and one of my chickens had a smaller comb then the rest. Now I am getting 3 eggs a day. I am pretty sure I have one rooster but I am getting one dark brown egg and two light brown a day. Are they all hens?

I see two black sexlink pullets and one silver laced Wyandotte pullet. No question you have all females.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

View attachment 1149190 For a while I thought I had 2 roosters and one hen. I was consistently getting one egg a day and one of my chickens had a smaller comb then the rest. Now I am getting 3 eggs a day. I am pretty sure I have one rooster but I am getting one dark brown egg and two light brown a day. Are they all hens?

Those all 3 look to be pullets. Side shot of the Wyandotte to confirm? But agree if you have only 3 and get 3 eggs it's very telling. What happened with the other Wyandotte?

 

[khr411]

Thanks! My other wynadotte unfortunately died while I was not home. Someone tried to move the chicken tractor without my knowledge and didn't put the chickens inside.
I just got 2 new pullets and I can't wait to add them to the small flock

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Thanks! My other wynadotte unfortunately died while I was not home. Someone tried to move the chicken tractor without my knowledge and didn't put the chickens inside.
I just got 2 new pullets and I can't wait to add them to the small flock

Sorry for your loss. Accidents happen so easily. I was curious if we ever were able to confirm that he was a cockerel.

Hope your integration goes well! If you have to quarantine, use a look but don't touch set up to help the transition.

 

[khr411]

Do the chicks have to be older before I introduce them

 

[debid]

Do the chicks have to be older before I introduce them

It's more about space and numbers than age. In a confined area, the youngsters are at great risk from adults. I do my introductions by "look, don't touch" side-by-side brooding and then let them interact during supervised range time from when the littles are just a couple weeks old. Once I see signs of acceptance, I move them in. This isn't a quick way but it is much less risky and I don't have to patch up wounded chicks.

The latest batch was fully integrated by 12 weeks and it would have been sooner if I didn't have one very insecure adult that was hell-bent on driving the little ones away.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Mine are usually fully integrated by 8 weeks. But each flock dynamics will be a little different. I did have one chick killer, but she is gone for that reason.

I do the same look but don't touch with a simple 18" tall piece of hardware cloth wrapped around the chicks with a "huddle" (cardboard box) for shelter that they use for day time in the yard. Occasionally it gets knocked down and I pick it back up. The chicks don't stray far because they know that's their safety zone. After a little while, I pick up the bottom with a hole big enough for the little's to go in and out but not the big's. They quickly learn to avoid the older hens. After a short time like this, I open it up but still leave things for them to run around and get away. Once they are all free ranging well together, then I stick them on the roost in the coop after dark so they all wake up together the next day.