Hi all! I wanted to share my journey, hear from others and discuss about my chick integration to the flock.
I have followed different ideas behind articles like this one: short-on-time-recycle-a-prefab-brooder
The whole raising set up:
From week 1 to week 3 chicks were staying inside the house and regularly going on the grass for a whole or half a day, given the temperatures outside were warm and favourable.
I have set up an outside brooder/coop next to the rest of the flock set up (my flock is entirely free range). I used a rabbit run fencing to create the separation and i bought a budget second hand dog house that i intend to attach to the similar looking coop with nesting boxes. Since the chicks are such flyers, i also closed the upper surrounding with some net, to prevent that they fly over and not able to get back.
At 3-3.5 weeks, I transferred the chicks to their own no touch but see run (pictured) to stay during the day and bring in at night.
At nearly 4 weeks I transferred and attached mama style heater to the outside coop and the chicks had their first night in the coop. They have been doing well, the last couple of nights the temps fell even to 45 f (8c), while during the day its between 60 - 70 f (18-21 c).
In two days the chicks are on average becoming 5 weeks - the brown one born on tuesday. the white one (biggest) on wednesday and the black one (smallest) on thursday. The hatching was a rescue hatch that you can follow in this thread.
The next steps are to open the enclosure - at the dark blue gate there is a small door that i want to fit with a board to make a chick sized panic entrance. I'm not sure how this will work as the rest of the flock is free range and if they go out of the run area completely it loses its purpose i guess. Im still reflecting in my head if i should keep my flock in the run for a day or two or not (to let them interact more), because each time i've done that they were extremely unhappy and one of them always somehow escapes ...
I intend to keep mama hen until they are 6 weeks since i am a bit more worried for the smallest one. I would like to already open up the coop to let them run around, but my hold backs are: my cat and combination of the smaller black chick... Any comments/ encouragements here are welcome
The chick coop/brooder set up (mama hen heater inside):
The entire coop positioning:
The chicks:
So if you are interested in the story, keep tuned, give feedback and i will keep updating you with the rest of the days and integration!
I have followed different ideas behind articles like this one: short-on-time-recycle-a-prefab-brooder
The whole raising set up:
From week 1 to week 3 chicks were staying inside the house and regularly going on the grass for a whole or half a day, given the temperatures outside were warm and favourable.
I have set up an outside brooder/coop next to the rest of the flock set up (my flock is entirely free range). I used a rabbit run fencing to create the separation and i bought a budget second hand dog house that i intend to attach to the similar looking coop with nesting boxes. Since the chicks are such flyers, i also closed the upper surrounding with some net, to prevent that they fly over and not able to get back.
At 3-3.5 weeks, I transferred the chicks to their own no touch but see run (pictured) to stay during the day and bring in at night.
At nearly 4 weeks I transferred and attached mama style heater to the outside coop and the chicks had their first night in the coop. They have been doing well, the last couple of nights the temps fell even to 45 f (8c), while during the day its between 60 - 70 f (18-21 c).
In two days the chicks are on average becoming 5 weeks - the brown one born on tuesday. the white one (biggest) on wednesday and the black one (smallest) on thursday. The hatching was a rescue hatch that you can follow in this thread.
The next steps are to open the enclosure - at the dark blue gate there is a small door that i want to fit with a board to make a chick sized panic entrance. I'm not sure how this will work as the rest of the flock is free range and if they go out of the run area completely it loses its purpose i guess. Im still reflecting in my head if i should keep my flock in the run for a day or two or not (to let them interact more), because each time i've done that they were extremely unhappy and one of them always somehow escapes ...
I intend to keep mama hen until they are 6 weeks since i am a bit more worried for the smallest one. I would like to already open up the coop to let them run around, but my hold backs are: my cat and combination of the smaller black chick... Any comments/ encouragements here are welcome
The chick coop/brooder set up (mama hen heater inside):
The entire coop positioning:
The chicks:
So if you are interested in the story, keep tuned, give feedback and i will keep updating you with the rest of the days and integration!
...
Glad you got to it ASAP. Surprised the rooster would reach in to attack... generally I'd consider if very safe to have adults next to chicks with fencing in the way.
. Soon enough they just wandered of too into their favourite spots, while the chicks stayed together on their own without going off too far from the brooder area, but far enough to enjoy it all. Within an hour or so they came back themselves to the enclosure. I closed it for now but in a few hours once I can observe I plan to open it up again. This way I will build up their time on their own.
