Arizona Chickens

[starri33]

Posted pictures of the new babies in the August Hatch-a-Long. Thanks @BlueBaby for reminding me about that.

 

[BlueBaby]

Posted pictures of the new babies in the August Hatch-a-Long. Thanks @BlueBaby for reminding me about that.

Looking good! I hope that the other 2 will hatch for you also.

 

[starri33]

Looking good! I hope that the other 2 will hatch for you also.

Thank you, I am hoping for both, I wish that the incubator I am using had a better way to view, this is what I am using right now, the sides are that milky looking plastic. makes it really hard to see if a egg is rocking.

 

[SonoranChick]

Ok friends, talk to me about introducing more hens to an existing flock. With our most recent loss we are thinking of adding to the flock at some point soon. We could get pullets or try for hatching eggs when my BO goes broody again...although I don’t want roosters and am not sure what I’d do if some chicks ended up being male. I’m not sure what to do. What has worked for you all?

 

[BlueBaby]

Ok friends, talk to me about introducing more hens to an existing flock. With our most recent loss we are thinking of adding to the flock at some point soon. We could get pullets or try for hatching eggs when my BO goes broody again...although I don’t want roosters and am not sure what I’d do if some chicks ended up being male. I’m not sure what to do. What has worked for you all?

If you want a guarantee that you will not get any boy's at all, do not get hatching eggs or young chick's. If I was in your shoes, I would try to find some pullet's that are just starting to lay, or at least close to it. I think that you know chicken's well enough that by that age you will be able to tell that they are not a roo.

About introducing them to the old flock-
Put them in a separate cage or fenced off section where they can see each other but cannot touch!

 

[Parront]

Ok friends, talk to me about introducing more hens to an existing flock. With our most recent loss we are thinking of adding to the flock at some point soon. We could get pullets or try for hatching eggs when my BO goes broody again...although I don’t want roosters and am not sure what I’d do if some chicks ended up being male. I’m not sure what to do. What has worked for you all?

Eat the males? I like raising chicks, and hate to get sexed chicks. Males get a happy life for 12-14 weeks.

 

[igorsMistress]

Ok friends, talk to me about introducing more hens to an existing flock. With our most recent loss we are thinking of adding to the flock at some point soon. We could get pullets or try for hatching eggs when my BO goes broody again...although I don’t want roosters and am not sure what I’d do if some chicks ended up being male. I’m not sure what to do. What has worked for you all?

I agree POL pullets would probably be your best bet. You'll need at least 2 and a section for just them would be best.

Later you can either move the newbies to roost with the existing flock one night or you can let the newbies out to free range and then let out the existing flock to join them.

 

[Lark60]

Yeah, I just separated the cockerels and pullets today because one of my pullets was pecked. Now the boys are in the tractor and the girls are in the coop/run. I don’t plan on culling the boys till they are bigger but they will stay separate till then.

Oh by the way, I had to get a few supplies from TSC and 4 dark Brahma pullets “jumped in my basket”. Hehehe. Now I will have 8 hens!

 

[BlueBaby]

View attachment 1867465 View attachment 1867467 View attachment 1867468 View attachment 1867469 Yeah, I just separated the cockerels and pullets today because one of my pullets was pecked. Now the boys are in the tractor and the girls are in the coop/run. I don’t plan on culling the boys till they are bigger but they will stay separate till then.

Oh by the way, I had to get a few supplies from TSC and 4 dark Brahma pullets “jumped in my basket”. Hehehe. Now I will have 8 hens!

Don't you just love how they jump into your shopping cart and make you take them home with you?

 

[SonoranChick]

Don't you just love how they jump into your shopping cart and make you take them home with you?

So true.