Adopting 5 older gals...

[Mrprez]

Our neighbors have sold their farm and offered me some or all of their small flock. I decided to take 5 of them and bring them up to our place. I built them a coop and plan to let them free range. Eventually, I would like to build an enclosed run for them. They aren't laying anymore which is OK by me. I just want them to be able to live out their lives happy and healthy.

They are going to bring the hens up this evening after they roost. I have been doing a lot of research on keeping chickens and hope that I am ready for this.

They also gave me an incubator and I'd like to try my hand at getting some eggs and hatching a new flock.

Any tips for what I should expect from these ladies? They have seen me several times but I've never spent much time with them. How long should I keep them in the coop to train them to know where to go each evening? How do I know how much to feed them since they will be allowed to free range? If I put out feed will they eat that even though they may be full from other sources?

Nervous Ned here...

 

[cleoandtheflock]

Chickens will catch on pretty quickly that the coop is the best roosting place

If you have a large area and feed them table scraps
You won’t need a lot of feed I would just feed them in the morning by scattering it around the free range area
And a little in the afternoon
Chickens also can’t overeat they will stop if they are full
Also I would feed them a lot less in spring and summer
Then winter

 

[Mrs. K]

Chickens do not need feed 24/7. I want the feed dish to be almost empty at night. If it is completely empty, I feed a little more. If it has feed left over, I feed a little less the next day. It varies through out the year what they eat.

I also don't like feed out 24/7 because it draws rodents. And if it is constantly available, a lot of feed gets wasted, and that can begin to smell.

I really have never had trouble with birds not going back to the coop, but I have always had a run attached. I am not sure of the temperatures in Tennessee but I would be wary of overheating. You need a lot of ventilation if it gets warm. (We have snow today, so I am dreaming about warm).

Do you know what kind of breeds you have? Some are prone to going broody, and of course that would be ideal to raising up chicks. However some are not. There are lots of tricks to integrate chicks into a flock, it can be done, but don't rush into it. There is a trick to doing it and may take a little experience.

I hope you do get a few eggs, it is so much fun. Welcome to this hobby, there are many aspects to it, and I have had fun with it for years.

Mrs K

 

[Mrprez]

Thanks for the advice so far, that really helps set my mind at ease a bit. Yes, it can get warm here. I have the coop set up in a partially wooded spot with lots of shade. The coop is also vented pretty well. I will be grading this area so that it is level in preparation for adding a large run area for them.

Here are some pics...

 

[Mrs. K]

Is it 3 x 4 feet or a 4 x 5 feet? Either way, pretty tight for 5 hens - don't add more birds.

 

[313759]

I really like the design, but I'd have to agree, it's fairly small, perhaps it'll be great to start with but if you plan on getting more birds you'll definitely need to expand

 

[Mrprez]

It’s actually 4x6. I have no plans to add anymore to this coop. I can always add to it if need be. I was originally just adopting four birds but they said there was another older one that went with this group. The other hens are much younger having been raised from eggs. They also have a really handsome rooster but he is very loud.

 

[Birds of a Feather]

Be aware that if you hatch eggs, you will hatch roosters. And hatching a lot of roosters usually means most of the roosters have to be killed (they’re usually really hard to re-home because no one wants them).

 

[Mrprez]

Be aware that if you hatch eggs, you will hatch roosters. And hatching a lot of roosters usually means most of the roosters have to be killed (they’re usually really hard to re-home because no one wants them).

Not a problem. These hens are like 5 years old and I didn’t want a young rooster bothering them. When I move on to phase two I will deal with the rooster issue then. Eggers and meat birds are in the plan.

 

[Mrprez]

I went down to the coop tonight after dusk and my other neighbor was there getting the rooster and his 5 hens. He helped me get mine into some large boxes and I drove back up to my place and put them in the coop. They didn’t seem to know where the roost was, but I think after they settle down they will figure it out.

Anyway, thanks for all the help. I will post some pictures in the morning.