Learning about chicken math

[ChickyChickyBaby]

Quote:
Seriously - I use a dog crate. Actually... I am using a wire dog crate, a wire rabbit hutch from a pet store (my fave since it is on wheels!), and a simple wood frame box with hardware cloth/wire sides that was built in about an hour. Each one is spaced quite a bit away from each other and from my current coop.


Of course I am still trying to convince hubby I cannot make do with less than 7 coops with 8' runs. (smallish coops - nothing big!)

 

[gryeyes]

I keep adding smallish coops for the integration/segregation of youngsters into the flock. Or for quarantine, I suppose, although I haven't added any older birds from other sources in over 8 months. Probably won't, either, since I'm now hatching shipped eggs like a madwoman.

But it's so easy, really. For chicks you raise yourself (not older birds) once they are out of the brooder at 8 wks,, a rabbit hutch will do, or a dog crate, or a wooden box you slap together with some ventilation and a sort of door, garden stakes and some plastic poultry fencing. Set this up in the run, along with a separate waterer and feeder for the newbies. The poultry fencing will keep them safe from the other flock members, they can see 'em, hear 'em, even chest bump 'em through the temporary fencing. Nobody gets hurt.

In two or three weeks, simply take down the temporary fencing and let 'em mingle. The older chickens will react like, "Oh, it's just you guys, not some Stranger Chickens. No biggie - just stay away from ME when I'm eating or drinking, and don't get too close when the treats are given out. You don't have the rank we do!"

Then put the younger ones in the main coop at night. Every night until they "get it" and know they live there.

ETA: DANG! I already said all this! LOL Sorry...

 

[Hottchick]

Thanks. Everyone has given me a lot to think about. I may have to devise a plan.

 

[Hottchick]

I may have figured it out! My husband built an enclosure of sorts for our dogs out of our dismantled deck materials. Needless to say, the dogs couldn't care less about it. It has a roof and uses deck railing as the sides. I could use leftover building materials to enclose the sides and we have metal stakes already that we used to block the dogs from swimming in the kids' pool a couple of summers ago.

Now, to work on the hubby. I'll do that this evening.