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kenny1c

kenny1c

Hatching
Sep 21, 2016
3
0
7
Hi! I got three Rhode Island Reds yesterday. I have them in their coop in my back garden. I would be grateful on some advice. I was wondering if their is any specific time I will need to keep them in their coop, if at all, to get them used to their new surroundings, before they start to call it home. Any advice very much appreciated, not only by myself, but also from my three hens!!
 
Welcome to BYC - thanks for joining us. Personally, i only keep new birds in the coop for 48 hours and i have never had a bird not know where to go come dusk.

You'll find lots of info in the Learning Centre https://www.backyardchickens.com/newsearch?search=learning+centre and if you have a specific topic in mind, just type it in the search box - there's a wealth of information on past and present threads.

You may wish to consider joining your state thread as it will put you in touch with other BYC members in your area - https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/26/where-am-i-where-are-you

All the best
CT
 
Thank you for your reply. They are young birds, due to start laying in the next two weeks or so. P.s. ordered some oyster she'll grit from internet, but as my local pet shop had only pigeon grit, will this do it any harm till my oyster she'll arrives next week??
 
kenny1c said:
Thank you for your reply. They are young birds, due to start laying in the next two weeks or so. P.s. ordered some oyster she'll grit from internet, but as my local pet shop had only pigeon grit, will this do it any harm till my oyster she'll arrives next week??
Click to expand...

There's a difference between the purposes of grit and oyster shell. The former is to help break down food in the crop, whilst oyster shell is for additional calcium - intended for laying birds.

Here's a link to grit - https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/891051/the-science-of-feeding-grit-to-poultry

I only have a flock of layers - they get layers feed. You could start your birds on growers feed until they begin to lay, and then switch to layers, OR keep with the growers feed and put oyster shell as optional feed (many members do this).
 
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You can shut them up in their coop for 2-3 days - with food and water, of course. This way they imprint on the coop being their home. Then they should come back to the coop at dusk by themselves.

Welcome to Backyard chickens, hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
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