Gimme more !

[ncheek16]

Hi everyone.
I raised all 6 of my barred rock girls up to this point (5 months) , from newborn chicks. And i also took a famoly members extra rooster for them They've finally began to lay eggs. Which has me hooked even more. So now I want more.

I'm looking to get a couple different docile breeds to add to my flock, probably about 6 or 8 more hens total.

How should I go about this ? I know I need to have them in the broader until they feather out, but I'm more worried about the introduction. Or would it not be as bad since my chickens are still young.?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Do you have electric in your coop? You can brood in the coop if you do, which makes integration a non issue. The are a couple of great discussions on this here if you're interested

 

[ncheek16]

Yep! I've actually got a big barn and I turned a stall into the coop actually done it with 2 stalls, thenother for the ducks!

 

[ncheek16]

I'm assuming I need to put the whole flock back on starter as well, they free range mostly, but I got my first egg and switched them to organic layer

 

[debid]

Yes, when housing mixed ages together, everyone eats starter or all-flock and you make oyster shell available free choice. The laying hens will take the supplemental calcium, the rest ignore it.

 

[aart]

Think about setting up an area to brood the chicks right next to the existing flock.
I just integrated my latest batch...it really works a charm!!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/