Michelle Lisenbee
In the Brooder
- Jun 13, 2017
- 5
- 0
- 25
I inherited five hens and their movable coop from a friend three years ago when she moved out of state and couldn't take them with her. The hens were two years old at the time. Two Red Stars, two Silkies and one black, white crested Polish. Unfortunately, the two Red Stars died last year, leaving me with the silkies and polish. Our coop is a movable chicken tractor type (I'll try to attach a picture). The coop itself is about 5'x4', with four nesting boxes and one roost. One hanging feeder inside the coop and two waterers, one inside and one outside in the run. The run is about 8'x5'. The five original chickens had no problems in it at all. We live in the suburbs and have a completely fenced (4') yard. I let the older girls out to range in the yard unless the weather is bad and they do great, staying in the backyard in sight of the coop and never attempting to "escape".
I've never raised chicks, but my current hens are not great layers and I'd like more eggs. Since we are all home due to coronavirus, I decided this would be a good spring to add a few to the flock. A friend sold me two Olive Eggers and one Welsummer from her large order. The Welsummer was two weeks old when we got her, the Olive Eggers were two days old. Now they are 7 and 5 weeks old respectively. They are getting big for the brooder box in our bathroom.
For the last few weeks, I've been taking them outside for a few hours most days to a makeshift screened enclosure. The enclosure is about 2.5'x4'. They seem to love it, pecking, scratching, dust bathing, etc. I've sprinkled some scratch for the older girls around the enclosure to entice them to come over. There is interest and a little curiosity on both sides, but no signs of aggression at all. Mostly the older girls ignore the littles.
For my next step, I was thinking I'd let the older girls out to free range and put the youngsters in the coop/tractor during the day for a week or so, bringing them back in to the brooder at night so the older girls could sleep. I figured that would help them get used to the new place and trade smells, etc.
My question is what to do after that? How do I get them to interact directly without causing too much hassle? My coop/run isn't big enough to place a separate cage inside, and I'm nervous about allowing the younger girls out to free range in our large yard. I'm worried they will try to escape and/or we won't be able to catch them to secure them at night. Do I just put them in the tractor all together and hope for the best? Any advice would be helpful.
I've never raised chicks, but my current hens are not great layers and I'd like more eggs. Since we are all home due to coronavirus, I decided this would be a good spring to add a few to the flock. A friend sold me two Olive Eggers and one Welsummer from her large order. The Welsummer was two weeks old when we got her, the Olive Eggers were two days old. Now they are 7 and 5 weeks old respectively. They are getting big for the brooder box in our bathroom.
For the last few weeks, I've been taking them outside for a few hours most days to a makeshift screened enclosure. The enclosure is about 2.5'x4'. They seem to love it, pecking, scratching, dust bathing, etc. I've sprinkled some scratch for the older girls around the enclosure to entice them to come over. There is interest and a little curiosity on both sides, but no signs of aggression at all. Mostly the older girls ignore the littles.For my next step, I was thinking I'd let the older girls out to free range and put the youngsters in the coop/tractor during the day for a week or so, bringing them back in to the brooder at night so the older girls could sleep. I figured that would help them get used to the new place and trade smells, etc.
My question is what to do after that? How do I get them to interact directly without causing too much hassle? My coop/run isn't big enough to place a separate cage inside, and I'm nervous about allowing the younger girls out to free range in our large yard. I'm worried they will try to escape and/or we won't be able to catch them to secure them at night. Do I just put them in the tractor all together and hope for the best? Any advice would be helpful.
