Hi Everyone!
Ok, here's the situation... I have one sultan hen who is in the coop by herself. Also in the coop is my brooder box with 13 2-3 week old chicks in it. In a "mini" brooder I have 2 1-week-old silkie chicks. On June 2nd I am getting 25 (hopefully all alive!) day olds. (11 of the 13 older chicks are from my first order... of which 14 were DOA!!!! This new order is the replacement).
I plan to let the older babies out in the coop (with a heat lamp) and putting the new chicks and the little babies I have separate in the big brooder.
When I put the older babies in the main coop is it ok if I fill the big feeder with chick starter? Will it hurt the older hen to eat that? I'm afraid if I leave the adult food in the feeder that the babies will eat that and not grow properly.
Also... will the babies know to come back inside if I let them out in the run? It is bordered by 2 feet of 1 inch chicken wire with 2x4 6ft welded wire. Should I just close up the coop for another month? If so how long until they will know to come in and out of the coop? (These are all EE's and I think Astralorps)
I'm not really worried about the older hen picking on the babies.. she is SO MELLOW!!
I'm a first time chicken owner... Please give me some advice!!
THANKS!
Ok, here's the situation... I have one sultan hen who is in the coop by herself. Also in the coop is my brooder box with 13 2-3 week old chicks in it. In a "mini" brooder I have 2 1-week-old silkie chicks. On June 2nd I am getting 25 (hopefully all alive!) day olds. (11 of the 13 older chicks are from my first order... of which 14 were DOA!!!! This new order is the replacement).
I plan to let the older babies out in the coop (with a heat lamp) and putting the new chicks and the little babies I have separate in the big brooder.
When I put the older babies in the main coop is it ok if I fill the big feeder with chick starter? Will it hurt the older hen to eat that? I'm afraid if I leave the adult food in the feeder that the babies will eat that and not grow properly.
Also... will the babies know to come back inside if I let them out in the run? It is bordered by 2 feet of 1 inch chicken wire with 2x4 6ft welded wire. Should I just close up the coop for another month? If so how long until they will know to come in and out of the coop? (These are all EE's and I think Astralorps)
I'm not really worried about the older hen picking on the babies.. she is SO MELLOW!!
I'm a first time chicken owner... Please give me some advice!!
THANKS!