Former lurker, finally joined, looking for feedback.

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Grit

Grit

Hatching
Joined
Apr 12, 2015
Messages
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Location
Cedar Creek TX
I had intended to get some chickens later this summer but a very good deal presented itself so we dove in. I got 3 hens and a 4 x 4 coop which left us needing to add wheels and a run. We got that done and will eventually build another coop before winter retaining what we have as well. The hens are about 1 year old, two Easter Eggers (1 lays green, 1 anywhere from white to sand to pale pink eggs) and a Welsummer that lays huge eggs. We have an acre, we move the chicken tractor daily and let the girls out every day as well. I also got a 4 month old Buff Orpington but she is not with the other hens yet and needs to gain some weight and size before I make the slow attempt. I would like to share my plan for her and get some feedback on what, if any, changes I need to make.

Once she gets closer in size (weight) to the other hens I am thinking I will let one other bird out at a time with her for free range time together, maybe a week with each hen individually? Next let all 4 out together for another week and eventually move her in to the tractor and coop with the other girls. I have also considered all of the above with the last move being waiting for the new permanent (stationary) winter coop being new to all of them.

Do y'all think this plan will be as uneventful as possible or do I need to make adjustments?
 
Hello there and welcome to BYC!
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You have a good idea for mixing the new bird however it may not work on the flock leader. The best way to mix in new birds is to keep the new bird in a cage or enclosure and within the flock's coop and run for 3 or 4 weeks. I use one of those Peck N Play enclosures in the run and a wire dog crate in the coop. You can start right now and get her within the flock and just leave her this way for a month as she grows. Everybody sees, but no body touches. Make sure you have plenty of room as mixing in 1 bird can sometimes be a problem especially if they are all cramped together.

After about a month, you can mix her in. Put out a couple extra food and water stations too as the older birds can starve her out. It takes a few months for new birds to really adjust well and get mixed in. And always intervene if it turns bloody. Cage any meanies and not the birds being picked on. Isolate anyone with open wounds until they heal.

Enjoy this new adventure you are on! If you have any more questions along the way, feel free to ask around the forums.

Welcome to our flock!
 
Thank you very much! My chicken tractor is 12' long, would sectioning off 4' with wire and shelter work? I have added a picture so you can see a wire dog crate (which she is currently in with a hutch attached) won't fit in it. The new one we are planning will work that way but not the one we have, it is too short.
 
Yes, you could keep her in a sectioned off area in this tractor during the day and then use the dog crate at night. Just make sure she has shade and is not in the sun or rain.

Good luck! :-)
 
For predator protection, you need to either replace the chicken wire or have it backed by 1/2" hardware cloth. Any predator worth his salt will go through chicken wire like it is butter. Securely attached 1/2" hardware cloth will last much longer, and repel most predators. Another thing I noticed is where the shade cloth joins the coop section, there is open space where a predator could duck in under the shade cloth, pick out his lunch and squeeze out.

With tractors you don't have great security against preds. They are safer than free ranging but, critters can dig under them and grab a bird, the big ones can probably turn the tractor over.

I am not trying to be critical, I mean it as firm suggestions to safeguard your birds. Giving honest feedback to help folks, is why we are here. I admire your ideas of mixing in the new bird. If you don't have an ultra alpha hen it may work. I also think if you let her get together with the lower ranked hens one by one, she may have them as friends which might blunt any attacks your flock leader may launch, when she is the last to be introduced. Sorry clumsy sentence structure, hope what I wrote can be understood.

BTW Welcome to Backyard chickens.
 
I appreciate the input, not taken as critical. I joined to learn. I already planned to switch to hardware cloth and the larger new pen we are planning will be hardware cloth too. The area under the shaded "tarp" does have wire as well so what appears to be an open gap isn't at all. Our acre does have a sturdy cattle panel fence so raccoons are the only predator I am concerned with. I am fully aware that they are brilliant critters and will find any opportunity. Keep the info coming, I don't easily have my feelings hurt and appreciate all advice.
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