My Silver Laced Wyandotte died last night and I am looking at options to replace her. If I went with baby chicks, can they be introduced to the flock (6 remaining) with the hopes one will foster them, or are they best inside until they are feather out? I'm not really feeling the whole "brooder" thing indoors again, but will if need be. I am in Alabama, and by April, it should be warm enough outside. Another option would be to buy a couple pullets and quarantine, but I've only got one smallish coop and run. I guess I could build a makeshift coop and run for a short time. How long do I need to quarantine in that case? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Don't add chicks - your hens will kill them! You'd have to brood the chicks until they're pretty close to laying age and then slowing introduce them. Starting with having them inside the current run but maybe in their own cage or fence. The smaller your coop and run area, the harder that can become. Lots of room makes it easier on everything. You'd need to quarantine new hens for around a month, but even then new birds can be carriers of diseases that could make yours sick. It's always risky, but certainly can be done. Good luck!
I have a brooder that I put in my coop - wire sides. Last year when I got new chicks, I put them in the brooder in the coop when they were about a month old and left them for all the other hens to see for another month or so. When they were fully feathered and none of the other hens seemed to pay them any attention, I let them out. I watched them for several days to be sure none of the hens were bothering them. It was a non-event, they were just accepted with no problems. I have new ones coming next month and will do the same thing. Hope it works as well this year.
