Managing growing chicks...

[IggiMom]

I hatch out/buy chicks about three times in the spring and summer.

I do it this way, because that way I have somebody laying eggs all the time. The early, February, chicks should start to lay in July or so, right when some of the others start to molt, and the June chicks will start to lay in the winter. I sell eggs, and I want to have them available all year round.

I am only into this about three years, although I have been around chickens most of my life, so I am just working out the management of this.

Last summer I had about two months, during molt, of about a dozen a week (not enough) and I am trying to avoid that.

My problem is that although I can brood them in a nice big watermelon coral, at some point they need to go out to the 'chick room' in the chicken coop. It is big, but I only have one chick room.

Should I put the bigger chicks into the main coop do you think, or leave them in the chick room and move the younger birds in with them? Are they likely to peck?

Last year when I moved the young birds into the main coop, one did get pecked. I thought i was very careful, but it happened. I shot her.

Any advice on management of growing chicks appreciated.

Thanks.

Catherine

 

[A.T. Hagan]

If it were me I'd try to work things out that you not have chicks that have to go into the 'chick room' until the birds already in there are near about the size of the adult laying flock. You'll have less chance of serious injury when the inevitable pecking order squabbles start. And when you do move them in do it en masse. The more birds you introduce all at the same time the less any one individual is likely to be excessively harrassed.

.....Alan.

 

[Wiglwerm]

I also have the "stair-stepped" ages in my coop. I have some adults some teenagers, three month olds, and two week olds. Everybody is outside now!! Yeah, I was getting sick of my livingroom smelling like a barn!!

I Have set up a "brooder" for the littlest ones, a large wire dog pen for the three month olds and the adults and teens hang together. All these seperate cages are in the main coop. So they all get to know each other but no picking. In the morning when I let everybody out to free range I let the three month olds outside too. I close up the coop (open air, by the way) and let the babies run and play. I do see that the teenagers are making it clear to the 3 month olds that they are at the bottom of the "Pecking order" but I don't worry too much because they can run away... ie: don't get cornered in the coop and pecked to death. At night everybody goes in their own cage till they are a bit bigger, this system seems to be working as the intergration of the younger ones into the flock has gone well as they are not "new" they live together just unable to be bullied. I would def. be careful leaving young ones with the older, some pay no attention, others can be VERY aggressive. And you don't want to come home to an awful surprise like me.

Last week when I let my older ones out with the 3 month olds my Rooster ripped the skin off one of the 3 month olds neck

(trying to mate with her

) ALL THE SKIN. Needless to say he is in solitary confinement on his way out or into the pot, she is healing. Just be careful

and Good Luck.

 

[IggiMom]

Thanks, folks.

And yes, I just HATE surprises of the sort you mentioned. Goodness. Some of my older breeding age hens have the pretty little saddles on, but that won't protect their necks.

Part of the stairstepping is somewhat necessary, as I said, and part

is because I cannot seem to stop myself from putting eggs in that incubator. Sigh.

Catherine