Bringing Home Chickens For The First Time

[Ridgerunner]

If the roosting bars are the highest thing in the coop they should find them on their own. Put a fake egg in the nest, that seems to help. I use a golf ball but some people use ceramic or wooden eggs. If you use the plastic Easter eggs you should fill them with sand or something heavy and glue or tape them shut.

The chances are good they don't need any help but if you run into problems let us know and we can discuss it.

 

[jonesy4000]

Thanks everyone for all the advice.

 

[aart]

I think being around them a lot the first few days is a good idea.
Go out and check on them every hour or two or three,
you know you'll want to anyway

No need to do anything specific or make a production out of it.
Maybe spread some scratch grains (not every time you go out tho),
Rattle the scratch can so they associate you and that noise with goodies,
can be very helpful later as an attractant/bribe.
Just be there, walk by or stand and watch for a few minutes calm, cool, confident.
That way they will get used to your presence and be less skittish when you need to be near.

How many birds will you be getting, what breeds, and where did they come from??
Are they used to human presence?

 

[jonesy4000]

We're planning on getting 8 total of a few different breeds. Barred Rock, RIR, Wyandotte, possibly Ameraucana. We have several contacts in our area that we've made at poultry/livestock swaps who we'll be purchasing from. We haven't settled on which farm, specifically, we'll go to, but they're all trustworthy, take good care of their flocks, and do interact with them.

Your question about breeds brings up another issue... Any advice on the dos and don'ts of mixing certain breeds together? Would the breeds I mentioned above get along?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Are the chances pretty good that they'll find roosting bars, nesting boxes, etc. on their own, or will we need to give them a hand with that the way you introduce kittens to a litter box?

They'll find the roosts on their own since they like to go as high as possible at night.
If the nests are attractive, they'll find them on their own as well. Relatively dark, secluded, comfortable and possibly with a perch in front so they can peer inside before going in.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

The breeds

We're planning on getting 8 total of a few different breeds. Barred Rock, RIR, Wyandotte, possibly Ameraucana. We have several contacts in our area that we've made at poultry/livestock swaps who we'll be purchasing from. We haven't settled on which farm, specifically, we'll go to, but they're all trustworthy, take good care of their flocks, and do interact with them.

Your question about breeds brings up another issue... Any advice on the dos and don'ts of mixing certain breeds together? Would the breeds I mentioned above get along?

Most breeds get along but sometimes RIRs tend to be the bullies of a mixed flock. More of an issue is that if you get mature birds from different farms or from a farm where the birds were in separate housing, you'll be dealing with the additional drama of combining birds that don't know each other. They'll likely squabble till they get acquainted. You'll need multiple feed and water stations scattered about so bullies can't prevent more docile birds from eating or drinking.

The one advantage you'll have mixing birds that don't know each other is that they'll all be in unfamiliar surroundings so the drama shouldn't be as bad as bringing new birds into an established flock.
To understand this, imagine you live with a couple family members. Then someone brings in 6 more people you don't know and locks you all in together for days. Drama may ensue.

Another issue is biosecurity. Combining birds from multiple farms can cause a bio hazard. These may all be birds that appear healthy but may be carriers of something the other birds haven't been exposed to. Tread carefully there.
It's always advisable to have an additional housing option for quarantine if one or more birds falls ill. It is also good to be ready to send a bird that dies to your state poultry lab for necropsy to find out what you're dealing with.

 

[jonesy4000]

It seems most likely that all of the hens will come from the same place. The top contender at this point raises all of the breeds we're interested in. I don't know if he keeps breeds separate at home, but I do know that they're all together when he brings them to the swap.

I hadn't thought about the biosecurity issue. That's interesting and definitely worth looking out for. We can pretty easily set up a quarantine pen, if necessary.

 

[Bird Mimic]

Get yourself ready with some food and drink, to relax near the coop with them. (I have a pik-nik table I/we set at).
Have the coop fully prepared, and release them all at one time.
Then observe them as they explore their new surroundings, and sort it out.
Most chickens hate surprises, so having you there, calm, overlooking, and relaxing, will help them be calm, this in order to get used to you coming around every morning for care.
Mine are excited to see me every morning, yet they're alarmed when anything else comes around.
I like that.
Good Luck on your new venture.
Being a BYC member is your road to success

 

[adstowe]

I'd recommend getting them all from that one breeder. At least they've all been exposed to the same stuff. Whether or not they're used to each other, they'll work out on their own. Keep an eye on them and have a temporary housing plan for hen who is overly aggressive and needs some time away from the rest or for one that gets picked on and needs some recuperating. An old dog crate or something similar will work. It doesn't need to be fancy.

 

[TexasSam]

This is what I did 5 months ago when I started. I got all mine from the same place and they were all pullets. The first five I put in the coop and gave them access to the run. I put there food in the coop the first day they slept in the run and I put them in the coop at dusk. The next night I went to check and only one was still in the run so I put her up. The third night they all went in the coop. Sense yours are all going to be adults they will probably go in at dusk by their self. After two weeks I opened the run before I went to work and when I got home they were all still in the run. The next day I moved their food and water to the run and opened it up to the yard later that day they were walking around the coop and run but never went far from safety. Now they go where ever they want but never over the fence. I did hang out with them and gave them treats they follow me every time I go out. Two weeks later I brought three EE's that were one month older and put them straight in and didn't opened the run for A few days. When I opened the run 3 days later the first five went straight out and the 3 EE's stayed in the run for A few days before they were comfortable to follow the others from A distance. Now there best buds. I just got 3 self blue Ameraucanas and I have them in A quarantine coop and run next door to the original so the others can look at them and get used to them I will keep them there for about 3 weeks.