I started with a small flock last year and after losing one bird over the winter, I have five adult Plymouth rock hens. They are well handled and pretty docile birds. We rarely see any fighting or pecking amongst them.
However....I fear I am about to rock their chicken world as I have 22 chicks in my brooder! Darn chicken math! Sneaks up on you! And technically I have 28, but 6 are cornish rocks that it's probably pointless to introduce to the flock rather than just fence a temporary yard for them once it's warm enough.
My oldest chicks, 6 golden comets, are now 6 weeks old, nearly fully feathered (just a tiny bit of fluff here and there on the head) and are sooooooo bored in the brooder that they are almost becoming a nuisance. To me, that says they are ready to start going outside on nice days and almost ready to transition to the flock. But, the rest of my babies are younger (the product of weekly trips to Tractor Supply) and won't be ready to go outside for several more weeks. I have 3 silkies and 3 barred rocks that are just about 4 weeks old, 4 australorps that are just two weeks old and 6 buff orpingtons that are just a week old.
So, that long winded introduction leads up to my question. For my existing flock of adult hens, as well as for the chicks, what would be the best way to introduce the mob? Do I get the 6 golden comets out there first when they are ready and then introduce a second batch when the rest of the chicks are ready? (I really don't want to separate the silkies and the barred rocks from the smaller babies as they have taken to mothering the chicks.) Or is it better to keep the comets in the brooder (which is large, but definitely getting a bit cramped as they grow) and introduce the whole 22 of them at once?
Thanks for any advice!
However....I fear I am about to rock their chicken world as I have 22 chicks in my brooder! Darn chicken math! Sneaks up on you! And technically I have 28, but 6 are cornish rocks that it's probably pointless to introduce to the flock rather than just fence a temporary yard for them once it's warm enough.
My oldest chicks, 6 golden comets, are now 6 weeks old, nearly fully feathered (just a tiny bit of fluff here and there on the head) and are sooooooo bored in the brooder that they are almost becoming a nuisance. To me, that says they are ready to start going outside on nice days and almost ready to transition to the flock. But, the rest of my babies are younger (the product of weekly trips to Tractor Supply) and won't be ready to go outside for several more weeks. I have 3 silkies and 3 barred rocks that are just about 4 weeks old, 4 australorps that are just two weeks old and 6 buff orpingtons that are just a week old.
So, that long winded introduction leads up to my question. For my existing flock of adult hens, as well as for the chicks, what would be the best way to introduce the mob? Do I get the 6 golden comets out there first when they are ready and then introduce a second batch when the rest of the chicks are ready? (I really don't want to separate the silkies and the barred rocks from the smaller babies as they have taken to mothering the chicks.) Or is it better to keep the comets in the brooder (which is large, but definitely getting a bit cramped as they grow) and introduce the whole 22 of them at once?
Thanks for any advice!