Adding Chicks to Hens living area questions.

[mjdtexan]

So, my chicks are getting big, they are around 6 weeks old, I think. Its time to consider adding them to the flock. I am thinking of building a small temperary wire cage and putting that cage into the hens living area. This way the girls will be exposed to each other while not putting the chicks at risk.

I feed my hens laying pellets, how old do the chicks need to be before they get laying pellets??? And scratch?

 

[felidaet]

I did not switch to laying pellets until my chicks were 18 weeks old. Yours are too young to take off starter/grower. I did not give mine scratch until they were 15 weeks or so. I suspect it may be OK to give it to them when they are younger. Maybe some other people will speak up with opinions. Remember to provide chick grit if you are feeding them anything other then the starter feed. I believe I provided chick grit (in a separate container from their food) at about 4 week.

When I add new chicks this spring I am planning on giving them their own coop but a shared run. However, I plan separate part of the run with chicken wire. The two flocks will see each other but they won't be able to get to each other. I will take down the separating chicken wire when the new ones are about 18 weeks, which is also the time that I will switch the chicks to layer pellets.

 

[mjdtexan]

Thank You for your response.