Esther and Winnie~ Emerald ~ Momma Time~ UH-OH Egg Overload P46

[barg]

I mentioned the other day of how my chickens were upset about their light...
Today I worked on the coop to get rid of anything they could hurt themselves on.
They keep damaging their beaks on something.
Anyway, I put molding around their windows today, on the inside, and now their all sitting away from the window and not next to their regualr roost buddy. Usually the doms are together and the aussies together.
Tonight its Australorpe, Dominique, Australorpe, Dominique, pandamonium has broken loose in there, crazyness

At 8 weeks and 16 weeks

I have reached crunch time, the chicks are now too big for their brooder but too small for me to feel comfortable putting them together with the big girls.
Despite this I still have them in the brooder at night.
I have abandoned the temporary coop idea for a few reasons:

I have'nt finished the run extension.

I dont think I could make it secure enough with the racoons hanging around.

As with many people, vacation time is creating conflicts.

I don't want the younger ones to have to get used to liveing in a coop and then have to get used to another coop, it seems like too much change in a short period of time.

I am hopeing the chicks can be introduced in a week but they seem to have hit a growth platue.
At the moment they are quite a bit smaller then the older ones and if they don't gain enough over the next week, we may have to alter our vacation plans.

 

[barg]

When I first got the new chicks I asked the question:
What is the size difference between an 8 week old and a 16 week old pullet.
Here is the answer,

Left to right: Mrs.Nezbit 16 weeks/ Mrs.Nezbit 6weeks/Winnie The Wyandotte 8 weeks/ Mrs. Nezbit 16 Weeks.

Winnie is still smaller then Esther.
Winnie should end up close to the same size as MrsNezbit.
I tried to get the cups close to the same size for comparison, but they arnt quite the same.

Let me know what ya think

 

[Chickenlover88]

I don't know how I missed this thread but I really enjoyed watching your chickens grow.

 

[barg]

Thanks Chickenlover88

I'm not sure how you missed it either, Ive had it in the recent topics, so many times, I figured everyone had seen it and looked at it as spam, by now.

 

[thndrdancr]

Barg,

Here is an idea and not sure how it might go, but would it be possible to introduce one, possible even two big girls at a time in the same pen with the younguns? With supervision of course. Maybe they could buddy up a little? That way it messes up the pecking order?
I have read of people doing that. Just a suggestion anyhow.

Jill

 

[barg]

I was thinking about that as a possibility.

Maybe a few others could chime in that have tried that and tell us how it went.

Thats your que to hit the "post reply" button

 

[Chickenlover88]

Well I have done it where I just add them all together at night with little picking as well as slowly introducing them. My two little guys are living in a cage right beside my adults pen. They are 6 weeks old. I let them all free range together and they pretty much ignore each other. If I put them in the cage together there is alot of pecking. I'll have to wait until the are a few weeks older I guess.

 

[barg]

One of the things in my favor with this is that,
the older chickens desperatly want to get into the extended run because there are greens in there.

That should provide an additional distraction factor when we take down the wall.
I just don't know whats going to happen when the distractions loose their interest.
I'm not sure what the extra space they have will do as far as pecking order either.

I'm probably going to find out this weekend, unless I get some people telling me its too soon.

everyone:
Feel free to give your opinion on this, or any of the previouse, answerd or partially answerd, questions in this thread.

 

[Chickenlover88]

I think that is a great idea. Put lots of yummy treats down to distract them as well and i'm sure they will get along fine.

 

[barg]

Thanks for the responce.
He was a nice looking bird.
I'm not sure how much a birchen cochin bantam transfers over to a full size Wyandotte

, especially given that they dont have the same type of comb, But he is a nice looking bird

Winnie is Not developing Wattles at this point and the comb has stayed a bright pink/red so we will see