Arizona Chickens

[BlueBaby]

Help.. when I first had the broody, she got a egg broke and I moved her and eggs to a crate, babies are now hatched and are about a week old, when can I open the door and let them all out to mingle with the rest of the flock, the babies are still really tiny.

Do you have some sort of pen that you can move them to so that they would be in a see but no touch mode with the rest of the flock?

 

[starri33]

Do you have some sort of pen that you can move them to so that they would be in a see but no touch mode with the rest of the flock?

That's what they are in now, a large dog crate, inside the coop it's self, I'd like to be able to let them out to mingle with the rest, but one of the babies escaped the crate the other day by sliding through the bars, lol, he found the one spot I'd not covered with chicken wire. the chicks I believe are far to small yet. I'm figuring I am going to need to wait for at least a couple of more weeks, Momma and chicks have food, water and space.. so they ought to be ok.. I could take them and just bring them in, but I want her to raise them.

 

[BlueBaby]

That's what they are in now, a large dog crate, inside the coop it's self, I'd like to be able to let them out to mingle with the rest, but one of the babies escaped the crate the other day by sliding through the bars, lol, he found the one spot I'd not covered with chicken wire. the chicks I believe are far to small yet. I'm figuring I am going to need to wait for at least a couple of more weeks, Momma and chicks have food, water and space.. so they ought to be ok.. I could take them and just bring them in, but I want her to raise them.

Maybe after another week you could let them out and supervise them at that time? Mother should protect them from the other's. If trouble, you could always put them back in the crate then.

 

[JennyHeidewald]

Per chicken?

Yep, I was expecting, from looking at what other folks said they have paid, at most, $5 to $6!

 

[starri33]

Even that sounds crazy to me, you can buy a whole chicken for that price in the store. I'm in the process of learning how to do it myself.. how many are you planning on dispatching?

 

[starri33]

Maybe after another week you could let them out and supervise them at that time? Mother should protect them from the other's. If trouble, you could always put them back in the crate then.

I belong to a group called "Mohave County Cluckers" on Facebook, asked the same question and got either put them straight in or at 10 weeks old, I think that the 10 weeks is going to make for cramped living. I've got sexlinks and sexlink crosses that are about the size of a small dog, then I've got a couple of hens that are I guess bantam sized, their shorter and thinner than the sexlinks and that is who Momma is, I'm not sure if she can protect the babies from the others. I'm not sure even being out there with them that I can stop them in time to keep them from playing keep away with a chick like they did with a mouse last week.

 

[cactusrota]

That's what they are in now, a large dog crate, inside the coop it's self, I'd like to be able to let them out to mingle with the rest, but one of the babies escaped the crate the other day by sliding through the bars, lol, he found the one spot I'd not covered with chicken wire. the chicks I believe are far to small yet. I'm figuring I am going to need to wait for at least a couple of more weeks, Momma and chicks have food, water and space.. so they ought to be ok.. I could take them and just bring them in, but I want her to raise them.

I let mine out once the chicks are 2-3 days old and just watch the flock for a few minutes. The only problems I've ever had is chicks getting accidentally stepped on (although that's been usually by mom herself) or drowning because I didn't make sure all the waters were safe. I currently have 4 different batches of broody hatched chicks running loose with the flock and a broody hatching eggs right now.

Having her in the crate in the coop is probably the best move you made as the rest of the flock was aware of their hatching and already see them as members of the flock. I have three different pens attached to eachother separated by only the 2" x 4" fencing that the chicks squeeze through and visit their "extended family". Everyone is good to them. Including all 4 of my roosters.

 

[BlueBaby]

Yep, I was expecting, from looking at what other folks said they have paid, at most, $5 to $6!

A while back, I found someone to teach me how to cull and butcher chicken's. They came to my house, and I watched everything that they did. They showed me all 3 of the method's. I had to pay $8.00 for each of the 3 extra rooster's that were done. I don't like having to do it, but I can now if I need to. I have usually been culling the boy's right after I discover what they are now before they grow too big, not having to worry about having to feed them and having to do it later. No one want's my extra roo's besides the coyotes or dog's on the loose. My freezer is full.

 

[nicollee]

Not chicken related, but I wanted to share a pic of miss Cora! She’s getting so big! She loves going out to visit the chickens and collect eggs everyday. I don’t know how the last 7 months went by so fast.
View attachment 1806155

With little ones time goes very fast... She is beautiful Enjoy every second with her, she will be running before you know it. And I enjoy seeing pics of our families, feathered, furred, or people.

@nicollee I haven't seen you post in a bit. How's your flock doing? Everyone ok?

Down to five hens.... good number for my backyard, but I always want more.... I just wish they would get up in the middle of the night to eat the palmetto bugs...
I get busy and can't always get on here. Right now I'm struggling to type with one hand, since, I'm off work for ten days to recover from carpal tunnel surgery

Introducing the miracle of the Arizona summer. . ... Thinking I'm gonna name him Clint Eastwood, he's just that damned hardcore.View attachment 1808407 View attachment 1808408 View attachment 1808409

love it. He definetly earned that name!!!

 

[starri33]

@cactusrota, She and the chicks are currently in a crate like your's except for maybe 2x that size.. You could fit a german shepard in it comfortably. I didn't want to stress her and take her away from the flock.. but didn't want to let the flock have access to her or the eggs/chicks. I think I am going to wait till after the 4th to make a decision on whether or not it's time to turn them loose.