It takes time for them to get into their "groove", but eventually they all get there. Might be some bumps along the way though...............
Colorado
- Thread starter tsgreer
- Start date
When do/did you all start preparing your chicks for nesting boxes/roosts/fake eggs?
My lil chicks (or are they teenagers? or are they teens at onset of beginning to lay, lol) are about 5 weeks old and 7 weeks old. Very well adjusted outside with a lamp, baby coop and run.
I'm only four weeks into being a human chicken momma.
My lil chicks (or are they teenagers? or are they teens at onset of beginning to lay, lol) are about 5 weeks old and 7 weeks old. Very well adjusted outside with a lamp, baby coop and run.
I'm only four weeks into being a human chicken momma.
Oh, sorry to post again...
I also wondered at what age did you change the chicks food?
Like a chick starter to chick grower feed? There is such stuff, correct?
What about healthy treats, fresh fruit/veggies?
Id like to have them be gmo-free and strictly organic.
And one other thing: they could be no-corn-no-soy based chickens as well, right?
~thanks, arin~
I also wondered at what age did you change the chicks food?
Like a chick starter to chick grower feed? There is such stuff, correct?
What about healthy treats, fresh fruit/veggies?
Id like to have them be gmo-free and strictly organic.
And one other thing: they could be no-corn-no-soy based chickens as well, right?
~thanks, arin~
I'm pretty new to chickens as well, but I believe they don't start laying until 5+ months old. My chicks are around 7 weeks and I've got their nesting box blocked off for now so they don't sleep in it. I won't be switching to layer until they're ready to lay. Until then they're on grower.
Also, you probably don't need a lamp for them at 7 weeks old this time of year.
Thanks 
No nesting boxes in their area.
Just curious to know when we should/and how to introduce.
I know they are not going to lay until the appropriate ages
fo'sure!
The current coop we made for them is mostly hardware mesh (front wall) with a picket door, roof and L shaped solid back/side wall. I still almost but not yet 5 week olds with the 7 week olds - being so new I still keep the light on at night only..ha
No nesting boxes in their area.
Just curious to know when we should/and how to introduce.
I know they are not going to lay until the appropriate ages
fo'sure!The current coop we made for them is mostly hardware mesh (front wall) with a picket door, roof and L shaped solid back/side wall. I still almost but not yet 5 week olds with the 7 week olds - being so new I still keep the light on at night only..ha
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Let's see if I can remember how I did this with my first flock, as adding the second batch to the original was much easier.
As soon as my birds were all roosting where they were supposed to, I installed nest boxes and put straw and golf balls in them. This gave them plenty of time to explore. They showed no interest in the nest boxes until they were about 14 weeks old. they spent some time moving the golf balls around, and then digging out nests in the straw.
My first eggs were laid at about 16 weeks by my Barred Rock, but my EE didn't lay til she was about 24 weeks I think.
I changed their food to starter/grower when I ran out of my first bag of chick feed, I'm thinking that might have been around 8 - 10 weeks.
I still feed starter/grower with oyster shells on offer at all times. I will probably never switch to layer feed, as the protein level of the starter/grower seems to be higher than most layer feeds I have seen and that way I don't have to worry about what feeds I give flocks of mixed ages.
My chicks have been getting 'treats'.........mostly weeds and stuff from my garden since they were young.....maybe 4 weeks, maybe less. I also give them scratch and some BOSS. Have no idea when I started, they were young. Basically I threw some on the ground and as soon as I saw them actually eating it, I figured it was now a part of their normal diet.
Have no idea about no corn no soy. Not something I worry about.
As soon as my birds were all roosting where they were supposed to, I installed nest boxes and put straw and golf balls in them. This gave them plenty of time to explore. They showed no interest in the nest boxes until they were about 14 weeks old. they spent some time moving the golf balls around, and then digging out nests in the straw.
My first eggs were laid at about 16 weeks by my Barred Rock, but my EE didn't lay til she was about 24 weeks I think.
I changed their food to starter/grower when I ran out of my first bag of chick feed, I'm thinking that might have been around 8 - 10 weeks.
I still feed starter/grower with oyster shells on offer at all times. I will probably never switch to layer feed, as the protein level of the starter/grower seems to be higher than most layer feeds I have seen and that way I don't have to worry about what feeds I give flocks of mixed ages.
My chicks have been getting 'treats'.........mostly weeds and stuff from my garden since they were young.....maybe 4 weeks, maybe less. I also give them scratch and some BOSS. Have no idea when I started, they were young. Basically I threw some on the ground and as soon as I saw them actually eating it, I figured it was now a part of their normal diet.
Have no idea about no corn no soy. Not something I worry about.
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The only thing I have to add to what gardendufus has given you is that whenever you begin to offer anything other than regular feed, you should offer free choice grit as well so they can properly digest the treats. I agree with the notion of avoiding layer feed, and just making sure they have oyster shell available. I keep a two-hole plastic dog dish ($1 each at one of the dollar stores) in the pens with grit on one side and oyster shell on the other.
Beautiful ~ thank you ~ All
Took today, tomorrow and Friday off. Packing up to go to Rock Ledge Ranch for the 4th of July.
Built a "creep gate" See the photo. This allows the juveniles to come and go, but keeps out most of the larger adult birds. I used 5 inch spacing, if i do it again, I will do 4 inch. This is because most of my Dom hens and EE hens can squeeze through. This isn't really a problem, as the turkeys are the ones harassing the young chicks. So, all is good.
Built a "creep gate" See the photo. This allows the juveniles to come and go, but keeps out most of the larger adult birds. I used 5 inch spacing, if i do it again, I will do 4 inch. This is because most of my Dom hens and EE hens can squeeze through. This isn't really a problem, as the turkeys are the ones harassing the young chicks. So, all is good.
Wendell,
what is happening at Rock Ledge Ranch?
what is happening at Rock Ledge Ranch?
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