@Sara Ranch, mine were started off in a kiddie pool as a brooder it worked well foot a couple weeks but then they were moved outside in a chicken tractor (made from an old frame pool frame, 14' diameter). I kept water on one side, food on the other so they had to walk back and forth between them. I moved the tractor every morning for fresh grass. They stayed there until 9 weeks old when we were ready to butcher. By that point, I was giving them 3 bowls of food a day, regardless of how fast it was gone, they only got it at those specific times. On butcher morning, I looked through them and picked the 6 best looking girls (most sturdy with legs under them) and moved them from the big tractor to the free range layer flock. It didn't take them long to blend in to the group and learn to forage. They actualy wander further than most of my layer girls! They do need carried in to the run at night since they won't go back in on their own. I don't bother putting them in the coop since I don't want them to hurt their legs trying to get out. They get out of the run in the mornings just fine though.
As far as incubating, it depends. I personally don't trust my hens as much as my incubator and the babies are too valuable to risk letting a hen raise them but that's just me.
When it comes to mating, Cap'n started chasing the girls by about 4 months old. The only ones he really seemed to be able to catch though were the CX girls and the ducks lol. Now at 7 months old, I never see him even try anymore but he used to be rather quick for his size. I don't know if he was ever successful at fertilizing any eggs or not. I'm starting to doubt that he was the father of the babies I have now. I definitely think that success will come better through breeding from the hens, not the roos.
I did take some pictures of Cap'n, Big Betty, and a couple of the younger girls. I took a picture of the babies too, now 10 days old. I'll post them in a little bit since I'm on mobile right now. I realy wish I had a scale to weigh them and track their growth. Something I may have to pick up this weekend.
As far as incubating, it depends. I personally don't trust my hens as much as my incubator and the babies are too valuable to risk letting a hen raise them but that's just me.
When it comes to mating, Cap'n started chasing the girls by about 4 months old. The only ones he really seemed to be able to catch though were the CX girls and the ducks lol. Now at 7 months old, I never see him even try anymore but he used to be rather quick for his size. I don't know if he was ever successful at fertilizing any eggs or not. I'm starting to doubt that he was the father of the babies I have now. I definitely think that success will come better through breeding from the hens, not the roos.
I did take some pictures of Cap'n, Big Betty, and a couple of the younger girls. I took a picture of the babies too, now 10 days old. I'll post them in a little bit since I'm on mobile right now. I realy wish I had a scale to weigh them and track their growth. Something I may have to pick up this weekend.