Chicks without mentors.

[Pentatonchix]

There are certain advantages to having chicks grow up with adult chickens, but also drawbacks. So it mostly balances out.

Your chicks will naturally have an instinct to do "chicken things" even without adults - they'll dust bathe, they'll vocalize, they'll hide from threats, all without an adult to show them how.

The one thing that chicks without adults may be slower at is learning to roost, but when the time comes you can take on that role by manually putting them on the roost to show them how to use it.

I was really lucky, and my chicks actually figured out the roosting situation by themselves! Like, I didn't have to lock them in or anything. I agree with the instinct thing, they learn all of their survival skills without any human interaction (tis why I prefer chickens to dogs .

Adults can be helpful in helping the pullets learn where to lay the eggs but then again each chicken has their own personality and will lay where they please until they are trained.

I agree, but as long as you put ceramic eggs or golf balls, they will most likely lay in the nesting boxes. I was really lucky again and they laid in the nesting box from the first day! (now I feel like I'm bragging......)

 

[CluckerFamily]

I was really lucky, and my chicks actually figured out the roosting situation by themselves! Like, I didn't have to lock them in or anything. I agree with the instinct thing, they learn all of their survival skills without any human interaction (tis why I prefer chickens to dogs .


I agree, but as long as you put ceramic eggs or golf balls, they will most likely lay in the nesting boxes. I was really lucky again and they laid in the nesting box from the first day! (now I feel like I'm bragging......)

Not bragging at all.
I didn’t have any issues except for one pullet but after a flock lecture, everyone laid in the nesting boxes. I do know some people have issues with laying in the nesting boxes even with fake eggs placed in the nesting boxes.

 

[Smalls Chicks]

Very cool. Can't wait to start our small flock.

 

[Pentatonchix]

Not bragging at all.
I didn’t have any issues except for one pullet but after a flock lecture, everyone laid in the nesting boxes. I do know some people have issues with laying in the nesting boxes even with fake eggs placed in the nesting boxes.

I'm envisioning you scolding your flock and putting them in time out

 

[CluckerFamily]

I'm envisioning you scolding your flock and putting them in time out

During the scolding, only one wasn't looking at me. That was the guilty one who laid the egg on the floor. Since then, they all laid an egg in the nesting box, even the pullets that join the flock every year, the older ones must tell them so that they don't get scolded again. It is pretty crazy!

 

[Smalls Chicks]

Thanks for all the input. Trying to absorb as much as possible prior to the start of our adventure.