Hi all!

[lutherpug]

Welcome!

 

[drumstick diva]

So glad you joined us at Backyard chickens.

 

[HeavensHens88]

Welcome to BYC from a fellow Sarah (with an h, though. )!

Here's hoping that you find our fantastic community to be overflowing with all the poultry info you could ever be in need of- and maybe you'll make a few lasting acquaintances along the way.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

 

[SaraJean0989]

Hi there and welcome to BackYard Chickens!!

That's a bummer about ending up with so many cockerels. I read your other posts, and if you do decide to put those guys in the freezer, there's many people here to help you through that process. Depending on your city laws, and yard space... you may (maybe) want to keep your best rooster as a flock protector if you let them free-range. Here's a fun read about Roosters.

And some other links you may find helpful with your new hobby:
Chicken Coop Ventilation- Go Out There And Cut More Holes in Your Coop!
How Much Room Do Chickens Need

Oh and if you decide you want to add more girls after the boys are gone, I've found that adding baby chicks is so much easier than quarantining and integrating adults.
Kick The Heat Lamp: Better, Safer And Healthier Options To Heat Your Brooder
Mama Heating Pad
View attachment 1532438 Good luck in your new chicken adventure!

Thank you! I’ve talked with a local woman who has hens and actually wants one or two of my roosters to keep her ladies from pecking one another to death. She’s lost a handful already because of that I have decided to keep “King Dingaling” (that’s what I like to call him bc he hasn’t let the other roosters outside with hens during the day for a couple weeks now) and hopefully he will keep my hens from turning on each other. I’ve been tossing around the idea of getting some chicks again when the rest of the roosters are gone, so I have more mature hens come spring. Did I read correctly that you would put Day old chicks directly in with your more mature hens? I guess I always thought thathens would be mean to chicks that they didn’t hatch as their own.

 

[SaraJean0989]

Welcome to BYC!
We are glad you joined our flock!
What age are the children you watch?

This video will help you learn how to navigate this site:

Coop Ideas:
Chicken Coops

BYC has an APP

Thank you! The children I watch are 4,5&7

 

[Feathers Brady]

Welcome Sara! Good luck ! Sounds to me like your also a chicken nanny!
You'll find everything you'll ever need to know about your chickens right here with a splash of fun! Enjoy being a chicken nanny too!

 

[feathermaid]

Did I read correctly that you would put Day old chicks directly in with your more mature hens? I guess I always thought thathens would be mean to chicks that they didn’t hatch as their own.

Right, you definitely wouldn't want to put baby chicks directly with the hens unless you have a broody to hatch and protect them... the others would certainly pick at them.

What I mean is, you can keep a brooder box/wire divider in the coop so the babies and adults can see and get used to each other, but won't have access to each other to start. Instead of using a heat lamp, use a heating plate or homemade heating pad cave. It's almost just like a mama hen would offer. Brooding in the coop also "homes" them to it very early.

I sectioned off the lower part of my coop as a temporary brooder -- at first I had a hardware cloth divider:

Then after a couple/few weeks, when you notice everyone ignores each other, change the barrier or make a small door that the chicks can fit, but big ones can't. Like this:

I made this picket fence out of cheap lath, with 3 1/2" spaces. The babies could come and go as they pleased, and run back to safety easily if they felt threatened. (Sometimes chicks can get confused if there's only one opening but can still see through the rest) In this picture, my chicks were barely 5 weeks old and roosting with the big girls! They were completely done with supplemental heat and night temps were in the 50s. I left the barrier for another week or so (just in case) and made sure everyone was getting along, then completely removed the barrier.

You'll want to make sure you're feeding everyone an All Fock raiser, because Layer feed isn't good for roosters or chicks. Just make sure to offer oyster shell for the hens. It's super easy and many people integrate their chicks this way.
It's awesome!

 

[feathermaid]

The babies could come and go as they pleased, and run back to safety easily if they felt threatened. (Sometimes chicks can get confused if there's only one opening but can still see through the rest) View attachment 1534432

Oops, I just wanted to clarify this part. For example: if the "safety divider" is all hardware cloth with just a single door opening, it's possible the chicks could be confused for a minute running back and forth to get thru the hwc part they can see thru (the part that's not the door opening). It helps to mark the opening with a bright color so they easily recognize it in a panic. Another option would be to lift the barrier a few inches so the chicks can easily scoot underneath.

 

[rjohns39]

Hi Sara and welcome to BYC We're so happy you've decided to join us