Introducing the new chicks

[litlbit59]

This last March my brother surprised me with 4 baby chickens for my birthday. At first I set up a brooder in the bathroom since it was so cold outside . I now have them in the garage. We housed them in a box we made from crate wood 4’ x 4’ and 5’ high and a thick layer of bedding for the floor. We started out with 2 heat lamps one connected to a thermostat but now I unplugged the constant heat light.

The chicks are 7 weeks old and the day time temp is equal to the brooder. Problem is I don’t know how my adult chickens are going to be. We set up a small pen for the chicks to introduce them to the outside for a couple hours and the other didn’t pay much attention except when I poured in some food, soon as I gave them some treats they went back to not caring. I also should mention that with a bit of determination the adults would be able to get in if given time to do so.

That was a good test but still doesn’t completely answer the question as to if the adults will accept them or not. I can’t watch them constantly.

I’m particularly concerned because the garage has no windows so they get no natural light. My husband says they’ll be fine. I have no doubt of their survival in there but they can’t be happy about it. They want out.

I’d love to hear some comments from some of you who have some experience with this sort of thing. And rest assured any advice will be a trial with me keeping close watch.

Thanks Karen

 

[clamccauley]

How did your chicks do? (I'm assuming by now you have introduced them to the flock) It's always interesting to hear how other do. I've introduced a few each summer and it never goes the same way. They seem to do better the more there are. Safety in numbers I guess. I've had to pull some back out because they didn't seem quite big enough to defend themselves from the new pecking order. The next year I finally put a second pen for the younger crop outside nearby where they could get to know each other safely. There's always a bit of squabbling the first few days as they decide who gets to roost where but they've always ended up sisters in the end!