Has anyone ever just "thrown them in" when integrating new birds into a flock?

[TheRusticRebel]

Good to know what all of you have done. I keep my new chicks in a separate pen until 9 weeks or more. The reason for that is I want them to eat chick start for as long as possible. No way would the older gals leave that alone. They think it is much tastier then their layer food. I have read that young chicks should not eat layer until 18 week because of the high protein amount. Like you all, I want my new chicks out free ranging as soon as possible. I always think of what the farmers did , the chicks were born somewhere in the barn and went out foraging as soon as mom thought it was Ok.

My starter grower is 20% protein and layer is 16%. I thinj it has more to do with calcium since pps were mentioninh oyster shell.

 

[Rooster_Tyranny]

In conclusion, I don't think throwing them in and hoping for the best is a good idea. Slow integration is probably a better solution.

That is not what I did, I threw them in and watched them very carefully for almost a full day. I was ready at almost any moment to separate them.

The point of this thread wasn't to talk about which method is "better", I just wanted to share my experience and show that this method can work. There is no ultimate "best" way to raise a flock, if that was true there would be a lot less chicken deaths in the world. Perhaps the method you used was good for your flock or even essential, and that's great! But that doesn't mean it's necessarily the best way to raise mine.

 

[rustk]

I got my last batch of chicks from Cackle Hatcheries - ordered 4 Golden Comets and 4 Easter Eggers, got 5 of each. I'd set up a "classroom" in the center of the coop floor a couple of days before the chicks were supposed to arrive. At the hatchery's suggestion I put down a thick cardboard floor which I covered with several inches of bedding (easy cleanup and replacement). I made the enclosure large enough to accommodate a platform to hold the water and feed containers and hung a good heat lamp about 18" above the floor - well clear of the tops of the walls. I didn't put in food or water until the day I actually rec'd the chicks. My 12 hens were curious but didn't try to invade the space. When I brought the babies home from the P.O. I immediately put them in their nursery. Boy was I nervous. Thankfully, there were no problems. The largest of the hens could stretch high enough to just see into the chick's space, everyone else had to observe from a roost at a bit of a distance. By the time the chicks were old enough to try to roost on their classroom walls, the adults were used to them and I had no problems. More luck than skill, I suspect.

 

[Rooster_Tyranny]

My apologies. The title had a question mark which made me think it was a question. I took the post down so as not to offend you any further. I was also just sharing my experience. Next time I will ask what the response guidelines are before posting.

Absolutely no need for an apology, you didn't offend me in the slightest! I get it though it's very hard to communicate over text. I don't know what response guidelines you're talking about but the only response "guidelines" I have is "Don't be a jerk", which you definitely are not.

 

[Anime2lover]

Absolutely no need for an apology, you didn't offend me in the slightest! I get it though it's very hard to communicate over text. I don't know what response guidelines you're talking about but the only response "guidelines" I have is "Don't be a jerk", which you definitely are not.

Their reffering to the guideline forums. I think

 

[chaz65]

Hello there I have had lots of chickens and chicks
Over the years I have put very young with old and no problem
But what I would do just to be safe
Is put the very small ones in a little run inside the big one for a few days
That way the big one get used to seeing there there and then let them out with the big ones

Good luck with your cicks

 

[LittleBitofSun]

It's not just about everyone getting along - chicks should not be eating layer food!

 

[Rooster_Tyranny]

It's not just about everyone getting along - chicks should not be eating layer food!

I got that covered, everyone is eating starter/grower with oyster shell on the side for the big girls. Good point though.

 

[TheRealWitwiki]

I was always interested to know what happens when you have your chickens actually hatch their eggs - is it typically a high mortality or do the mother hens protect the young? Do you have to constantly watch them?

In my situation I had a hen go broody literally in January when it was freezing out. I started to retrieve her eggs every day but she would constantly just stay in the nesting box so I decided to let her try to hatch out eggs. So basically when a hen goes broody she will only leave the nesting box to quickly drink and eat usually only once a day. While she is out other hens tend to lay their eggs in the same box. So when the first chick hatched after 21 days I put my stall divider in place to separate the mother hen and chick from the other hens and our rooster. (I was actually collecting eggs when the first chick hatched it was crazy to be there at that moment) Unfortunately even though I had a divider in place another hen was able to squeeze through an opening up high and scare the mother hen and chick out of the nesting box. By the time I found out the eggs had went cold for several hours. I still let her sit on the eggs for several days until she rejected them just to make sure. But I'm assuming the chick that hatched was her first egg she laid before the other hens filled up her nest with their eggs. So I'm pretty sure had I secured the area a little tighter I would have had more eggs hatch. Yes the mothers will protect their chicks with their life, but it's still good to separate them for a while from the flock. I wouldn't say you have to constantly monitor them you just have to keep filling up the waterer and feeder for the chicks because the mother hen will knock them over or drink all the water and eat their food.

 

[Shezadandy]

Yep, what I suggested .
The search here wasn't great before the transition, and yes, worse afterwards.

Definitely worse afterwards.