IT HAPPENED!!!

[MochaLatte]

hahaaa. I tried to tell my husband that we could do that, at the time I was just saying make the run bigger coming off the other side of the coop, and he told me NO WAY... so I had to explain I meant the run not the coop... but maybe in a couple years I can talk him into adding on to the coop or making a 2nd coop and making the runs attach as 1. LOL

The best laid plans are hatched on BYC. See it first here, folks!

 

[MochaLatte]

OOPS I was editing my other post when you posted so it is now in that one. But as much as I keep looking I am pretty boring unless I see my farm store has any others that catch my eye next year that I change it up.


How did you incorporate your 8 weeks old to the rest of the flock? did you brood them in the coop or are you adding them in later?

I used an extra large wire dog crate... took the tray out of the bottom and "shimmy-buried" the bottom of it underneath the run bedding. (I used the tray upside down like a lid ontop of the wire crate so no big girls could hop ontop and poop down onto the babies...) The run is covered, so they were safe from rain, etc (even though it was like a freaking drought at the time). I had hanging feed and waterers clipped to the crate. It was plenty warm out for them. I did have to put chicken wire around the bottom of the crate so they couldn't pop out and escape when they were small, haha. I let them grow up in the crate inside of the run until they were 6 weeks old and feathered out. The big girls would see them and be interacting with them but without being able to peck them. At 6 weeks, I set the babies free in the run and removed the crate. I did keep the smaller feed and waterer in a back corner away from the big containers incase the babies got bullied. However, the big girls didnt even react to them being free in the run at that point. They were so use to them they didn't even care. There is an occasional "get outta my way" peck but it is rare. The first night the babies were released from the crate... they followed the big girls up into the coop to roost. It went really well this way for me!

 

[junior67]

I used an extra large wire dog crate... took the tray out of the bottom and "shimmy-buried" the bottom of it underneath the run bedding. (I used the tray upside down like a lid ontop of the wire crate so no big girls could hop ontop and poop down onto the babies...) The run is covered, so they were safe from rain, etc (even though it was like a freaking drought at the time). I had hanging feed and waterers clipped to the crate. It was plenty warm out for them. I did have to put chicken wire around the bottom of the crate so they couldn't pop out and escape when they were small, haha. I let them grow up in the crate inside of the run until they were 6 weeks old and feathered out. The big girls would see them and be interacting with them but without being able to peck them. At 6 weeks, I set the babies free in the run and removed the crate. I did keep the smaller feed and waterer in a back corner away from the big containers incase the babies got bullied. However, the big girls didnt even react to them being free in the run at that point. They were so use to them they didn't even care. There is an occasional "get outta my way" peck but it is rare. The first night the babies were released from the crate... they followed the big girls up into the coop to roost. It went really well this way for me!

Thanks. I was thinking of adding in a brooder under my poop boards in the coop and letting them grow up there for a bit. I used a dog crate in my house for these ones but got the crate knowing we were getting a puppy and now have a puppy that will most likely be in the big crate next year.

Here is the area I was thinking of putting a door and some he cloth to brood in. Hard to see in the pic with the black. But kinda shows the area.

 

[MochaLatte]

Thanks. I was thinking of adding in a brooder under my poop boards in the coop and letting them grow up there for a bit. I used a dog crate in my house for these ones but got the crate knowing we were getting a puppy and now have a puppy that will most likely be in the big crate next year.

Here is the area I was thinking of putting a door and some he cloth to brood in. Hard to see in the pic with the black. But kinda shows the area.

I think that looks like a great space for a brooder!

 

[junior67]

I think that looks like a great space for a brooder!

Thanks. it is about 2' wide and 8' long on one side the other side is maybe 3.5' long? so not too wide but long. The only thing is they can't really be outside with this and under there may be kinda dark (there are 4 windows and the peaks are open but not sure how much light really shines under it at night. I can use the light I have in there during the day if needed. But figure they can get used to the other chickens this way and hopefully it will be easy to introduce them like you did. If I get them in March or even April like I did with my babies I have now then it will still be cool out so the coop won't get too hot for them at least. I could possibly have a broody I could sneak them under but figured if I did and it worked then I would still use that spot for the first little bit for the broody and babies. But want a backup plan if a broody doesn't work out. and I know it is still like 6 mo away but I am a planner. LOL

 

[SuperWhoLockian]

So pretty... that one is gigantic looking!

The one was huge! It was a one-off though. It’s the only one that was that big. 7 eggs in 8 days! Ruby is a champ!

 

[junior67]

The one was huge! It was a one-off though. It’s the only one that was that big. 7 eggs in 8 days! Ruby is a champ!

wow that is a lot of eggs! She is a champ!

 

[MochaLatte]

The one was huge! It was a one-off though. It’s the only one that was that big. 7 eggs in 8 days! Ruby is a champ!

WOOO RUBY!

 

[MochaLatte]

Thanks. it is about 2' wide and 8' long on one side the other side is maybe 3.5' long? so not too wide but long. The only thing is they can't really be outside with this and under there may be kinda dark (there are 4 windows and the peaks are open but not sure how much light really shines under it at night. I can use the light I have in there during the day if needed. But figure they can get used to the other chickens this way and hopefully it will be easy to introduce them like you did. If I get them in March or even April like I did with my babies I have now then it will still be cool out so the coop won't get too hot for them at least. I could possibly have a broody I could sneak them under but figured if I did and it worked then I would still use that spot for the first little bit for the broody and babies. But want a backup plan if a broody doesn't work out. and I know it is still like 6 mo away but I am a planner. LOL

I wish I knew more about hatching with a broody. Whenever it's time for me to have chicks again I want to try that way... because then the momma broody teaches them good things and integrates them into the flock. Seems like a really nice way for chicks to start out!

 

[SuperWhoLockian]

WOOO RUBY!

That large one turned out to have double yolks excuse the glove, I have a cut on the inside on my knuckle.