Added to my run and to my flock

[Thornhill Farms]

I have gone from 22 to 30! I cant stop myself! Is there a Chickens Anonymous? Anyway I am proud to say that I added four hens-1 RLB Wyandotte, 1 Americauna, and 2 Barred Rocks.

What I am even more excited about is I purchased a trio of Rhodebars (10 wks old) that i hope to breed in the spring! They are absolutely beautiful. From the same person i purchased a small balck mixed chick with feathered leggs-hoping its a pullet?!

My amazing husband spent his only day off this weekend building a 200 sq ft addition to the run bringing us to three hundred sq ft in that one. All together we have three coop/runs and one very large wooden brooder. The large run currently houses 17 hens and 2 roos. We have a 40 sq ft coop/run that houses 3 hens and 1 roo. And finally the 3 bantams have a smaller one all to themselves. The four chicks are in the brooder box temporarily. We hope to add to the mid sized run and pray that the Copper Marans Roo and The Rhodebar can co-habitate.
Wish us luck!

 

[Jens8chicks]

I got my first 8 chicks on July 10th. Have been told adding to your flock isn't always an easy transaction. Have you had that problem? Want a few more myself but worried they will not mesh well?

 

[Thornhill Farms]

yes it can always be tricky having more room in the coop/run helps but needs to be a slow introduction if you can make a temp area for the close to where your older ones are so that they can get used to each other it helps. If not i suggest taking the new birds in when you have time to stay out with them and interveen if any fights should happen. Older hens will almost always rough them up a little to show whos boss but more than that and you have an issue. ANY TIME YOU ADD NEW BIRDS please please quaratine them for at least two to three weeks to watch for any sighns of illness do all your handling of them when you are done with the others and wash up afterwards! When i first started keeping chickens i learned that lesson the hard way. I lost the rooster love of my life from bringing in another bird and causing sickness.

 

[b.hromada]

Good for you! They really do need a Chickens Anonymous, don't they? I think most of us here on BYC would join!

Enjoy your chickens, they're the best!!!

 

[Jens8chicks]

I was kinda wanting to get day old chicks my buff Orphingtons keeps sitting on the other pullets so I was hoping they would warm the chicks? You can't quarantine day old chicks. How would you introduce chicks? Any suggestions?

 

[Thornhill Farms]

I keep my day olds in a sep brooder box on our back porch/room untill they are big enough to join the others. I fear that some of my older less friendly girls would hurt them and alas my fence is not chick proof anf they would most likely get out. If your BO seems like she would be a good surrogate you can put them in with her and she will most likely protect hem but supervise them for a while to make sure. Otherwise i would suggest a sep run for them and or the BO until they are big enough to hold hteir own. Good Luck!

 

[Jens8chicks]

Thanks Thornhill Farms not sure what I am going to do. I think I am going to wait.

 

[Thornhill Farms]

your welcome best of luck