Chicken Mom

[Dragonfly5707]

Hello and welcome to BYC! Glad you joined.

I start to integrate motherless chicks into my flock at 4 weeks of age. The chicks are brooded in the coop in a maternity ward with small sized doors that only the chicks can go through. At 4 weeks of age the small doors are opened so that they can wander out into the coop and check things out at will. If they get chased or get nervous they can run back into the maternity ward where the large chickens cannot enter. By the time they are 7 weeks old, they're not going back into the ward anymore and are staying with the big chickens.

As for feeding, since the very first day on my farm, all birds have been fed a starter grower crumble, Flock Raiser, meat bird mash or whatever combination of the above that I need to get to 20% protein. I keep two containers of oyster shell for free choice feeding by the active layers. Feeding this way allows you to have chicks, pullets, broody hens, old hens taking winter breaks, roosters and cockerels in your flock at any and all times of the year with no need to make any changes to what they're eating.

Thanks for all the info. Especially on the feeding. I was worried about having to change my laying hens over to starter/grower feed. I don't want their egg production to slow down.

 

[TwoCrows]

Hello and welcome to BYC!

Chicks that aren't with a broody need to be introduced slowly from behind a fence or cage. 2 or 3 weeks of seeing each other before mixing into the flock. Chicks should be 3 months old around older birds so they can protect themselves and aren't too fragile. Add more food and water stations as older birds tend to guard them. Add levels and hidy places for chicks to escape to.

Best wishes with your flock!

 

[triciayoung]

Welcome. I use Hudson feed (all ages) alone for mush (wettened food). I mix Hudson feed, organic scratch & peck, and henhouse reserve organic, and add 15% flaxseed, for their dry food. I have a 3-year old with reproductive cancer. If you have production breeds, 30% of the hens get reproductive cancer because of what has been done to them to lay way too many eggs then their bodies can handle. Flaxseed is a powerful reproductive cancer protector. 1-year of 15% added to a hens diet can reduce prevalence by 50%.

 

[C Siena]

Greetings & Salutations. Welcome.

I agree with some of the previous comments and we are going to feed both a 20% crumble, layer feed and egg shell/oyster shell on the side.

Our chicks are in the coop by 4 weeks, integrated and free ranging by 6.5-7 weeks. We will probably place the chicks in the coop brooder by 1-2 weeks next spring.

Enjoy and learn. Plenty of Articles and Forum info.

 

[Tookie]

Hello, and welcome to BYC! Good luck with your chicks!