Chickens for 10-20 years or more? Pull up a rockin' chair and lay some wisdom on us!

[Beekissed]

I've not lost a chick in that manner either...but no creep feeder. If you place enough food out for the feeding so that there is feed left over after the adults eat, then the younger birds get plenty. No chicks growing poorly here either.

I'd say that those precautions may apply when they live in a coop/run environment as there is really no where the older hens would rather be after eating, but mine all scatter for the outdoors as soon as they are done, leaving the feeder wide open for younger birds.

I never really even knew this was all a problem for folks until I came to BYC...I just always assumed that everyone's birds got along like mine did.

 

[thedragonlady]

Quote:
My older birds usually come in about 3:00 for a snooze when it's hot, then go back out. The youngsters have to learn not to be underfoot then. I raise birds to show also, and the creep gives the youngsters maximum growth. I have 6 month Buff Orp pullets who weigh 8 + lbs, and are laying.They have at least 1/2 acre to range in, but this aleviates a lot of stress on the babies, and they grow like weeds.My main run is 20' x20' and contains no more than 10 grown birds...but they are very large.

 

[knjinnm]

Time to switch to FF, more bang for the buck.

 

[Beekissed]

 

[bruceh]

i have given up on the idea of keeping the cx and the layers apart. the just end up in each others pen. i am not separating 49 chicken each night.i observe the big chickens and the little guys. them big girls are putting them little ones in their place. i went to using rain gutter feeders it is easier.

 

[Beekissed]

Yes, it is. A word of advice on the rain gutter feeders for CX....reinforce the sides by using some well-placed wires. They will get up in those feeders and ride the sides down like crazy...pretty soon they are almost flat from the ten ton fannies riding down the sides of the feeder, as the guttering is pretty flimsy when it comes to trough feeders. For layers they work wonderful..but those darn meaties have to climb in, on and all over the feeder in their gluttony.

 

[bruceh]

you are right about that them cx's stand in it, jump on it, tip it over. i am glad im using fermented feed or the feed would be in the soil.

 

[galanie]

So Bee how are the chickens coming along, you making good progress on their recovery and re-assimalation.

You'll have to stop over on the thread and check 'em out, Al(look at page 51 and work back a little).  Also you should come over because someone used your name in vain and it was in conjunction with chicken butts.....    I worked with some of them last night and was amazed at the weight they had put on since I had lifted them last week.  Comin' along like a house afire! 

Killed that ol' Black Star last night and she weighed a ton! 

Oh, BTW, in the interest of getting some good layers of adipose tissue under their hides before cold weather, I took a page out of your book and added a little smatch of calf manna into their fermented feed mix.  They don't like it much but it's only for a little while...they'll have to suck it up or starve.  Priced it with BOSS and they were the same price, so used the CM instead. 

I used to use the manna for conditioning my meat rabbits before show, so am a little familiar with the stuff(cannot stand the smell! ). 

I gotta admit, I was waiting for Al to reply to that. And he never did, dangit. I love the smell of calf manna! Used to give it to my horses 30 years ago and it still smells wonderful. Then again, I love licorice, too.

 

[stonykill]

one of my RIR broody's still hanging with her brood. Doing what they do....wandering and eating.

 

[Pozees]

During the day they have access to the coop, run (unless the babies are in there), and fenced yard.
At night they are in the coop.

coop 8' x 16'
run 8' x 12'
yard 30' x 50' (will double in size next summer)

Flock = 21 (not including the three babies), more or less in pecking order:

1 Dark Cornish mix
4 Silkies
1 Orpington
1 ISA Brown
1 Wyandotte
3 Easter Eggers
4 Sussexes
1 insane Polish (she's insane and I'm insane for getting her)
1 Jersey Giant (not giant)
2 Welsummers
2 Belgian bantams

As you can guess, I went completely nuts at the feed store last spring. Not exactly a utility flock, but they're really fun to watch. And yes, I would do things differently in hindsight: fewer birds, fewer non-utilitarian breeds.

Also I'm not planning on enlarging the flock.

You have gotten many helpful answers from those with far more experience than me, but I just can't help adding my perspective. It sounds to me as if you have plenty of room, really, and that you only need to do a couple of things differently.
I would first say that until the extreme minority of three have grown larger, I would not be in a hurry. They have to have enough size and confidence to adequately defend themselves if they are cornered.
Second, I would add the littles to the coop at night while the older girls are already roosting and settled (and night blind), and do so either by placing them on empty spots on a roost where the three are together, or by placing them inside a crate with a roost and an open doorway on the floor of the coop, so in the morning when they all pile out the pop door they are all together coming from the same home base.
Third, until the three have gotten some size, I would follow the advice of another poster who suggested confining the older girls to the run and giving the youngsters the yard to learn, and in keeping with the earlier suggestion, put them in hiding places and let them go into and out of them several times, put their food and water in them even, so they consider them a safe place to eat and drink, but ensure they cannot be tipped over, and the entrance/exit is too small for any of your older girls, with the possible exception of the Bantams obviously - and if there is any danger the Bantams will bully them, have two openings, so if they are chased into one they can escape.
This last (switching access to run versus larger enclosure) I would kind of alternate on, so it gives the smaller ones time to learn the larger enclosure, and kind of keeps the older ones off balance so they maybe aren't quite as sure of themselves. It might take some temporary wire walls so the older ones still have access to nest boxes and the like. As the youngsters gain size, start putting the older birds with them in the larger enclosure one or two at a time, from the bottom of the pecking order up.

Obviously if you are free ranging you have more room for sharing, but in your situation, I understand why you prefer not to free range for now. Neighbor dogs are the greatest danger - they are usually not afraid of you, like a coyote or fox might be.