Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[gladahmae]

I would

Quick Question, I already posted this somewhere else (here) but I figure it couldn't hurt to ask.

I am getting one shipment from a hatchery around July 8th. I am getting another shipment from a different hatchery on July 24. At what point can I combine the 2?


I have plenty of room the brood them.
The first shipment also contains 3 ducks and 1 drake.



Thanks!

I would give the new ones a day or 2 to get over shipping shock and then put them together. I have 7 weeks olds in with 4 week olds (been together for 3 weeks now) and they all get along fine. The bigger ones will be able to show them the finer points of getting the food and water too.

Eta that I don't have ducks, so I don't know how that side of things would work.

 

[Spitzboyz]

Quick Question, I already posted this somewhere else (here) but I figure it couldn't hurt to ask.

I am getting one shipment from a hatchery around July 8th. I am getting another shipment from a different hatchery on July 24. At what point can I combine the 2?


I have plenty of room the brood them.
The first shipment also contains 3 ducks and 1 drake.



Thanks!

I was in the same situation as you my friend about a month and half ago. Here's what I did.

I got the first shipment which included the ducks and chicks.

Separated the ducks from chicks into their own brooder. Kept them separated until about 6 weeks in age then sent them to the open run attached to my coop along with the chicks. They will remain their until I see aggression or they feather out then they are off to their own duck run.

Took first batch of chicks and brooded them until the new ones came in at 2 weeks later. I placed the second batch into the first batch with a small separator made from chicken wire. The reason I did this was to carefully observe the two groups for any aggressive behavior or things that I should watch out for. After introducing them for about 3 days, I then took the separator out and let them roam together. I had no problems what so ever before or after the separator. I don't really think you will need the separator but you can do so like I did just to be on the safe side of things.

Note on the ducks: Do not brood the ducks and chicks together. They make one heck of a mess and cause water to get into your bedding which is terrible for chicks. Just keep them separate until the chicks feather out or go into your coop. Once the ducks are the run, the chicks and them ignore each other and the ducks want nothing to do with the coop at all. The biggest problem with ducks is the amount of water damage they do along with their aggression towards chicks for food and water sharing. Good luck!

 

[tntchix]

Anyone in the Howell area needing poultry equipment might want to stop by my friends garage sale; cages, waterers, incubators, bird netting, and more. He is located on Crooked Lake rd west of Chilson rd.

His sale is a gold mine. I didn't have much cash or I would've gone nuts. We discussed chickens and you. I have now seen your handiwork. His kitchen is beautiful.

I had a feeling about you. You are a good egg, sir.

and yes, that was me honking as I passed your house on the way back to town.

Thanks for the heads up.

 

[SillyChicken]

Agree... Sam is a good egg!

 

[tntchix]

Agree... Sam is a good egg!

As are ALL of you I have met on here. I don't think I have come across anyone who has been anything but sweet and helpful.

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

Quick Question, I already posted this somewhere else (here) but I figure it couldn't hurt to ask.

I am getting one shipment from a hatchery around July 8th. I am getting another shipment from a different hatchery on July 24. At what point can I combine the 2?


I have plenty of room the brood them.
The first shipment also contains 3 ducks and 1 drake.



Thanks!

The problem with 2 shipments basically 2 wks apart is that ducklings will have quite a size difference in that timespan. Now if your 1st group is call ducks and your 2nd is Pekins, then you might be ok for awhile, bcz calls are small and Pekins are huge, but the point is that you don't want the bigger ducklings trampling the smaller, or preventing the smaller access to food and water.

 

[Hen Feathers]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/894669/old-new-member

Hello fellow friends!

I know about the Michigan chicken stock thing. I really do want to go, but I just don't know

.

 

[tori8780]

Ok, question everyone. My sister found a very small (2-3 day old) baby duck on her road after work tonight. No bodies of water nearby and no mama in sight. They brought it inside but have no idea what to do with it now. The poor thing is frantic. They dont have food or a heat lamp for it either. The earliest I can get to them is Sunday (we are getting our own ducklings on Wednesday). How should she care for it until then or is there anyone in the Owosso area that would be willing to care for it? It appears to be a mallard.

 

[Hen Feathers]

Ok, question everyone. My sister found a very small (2-3 day old) baby duck on her road after work tonight. No bodies of water nearby and no mama in sight. They brought it inside but have no idea what to do with it now. The poor thing is frantic. They dont have food or a heat lamp for it either. The earliest I can get to them is Sunday (we are getting our own ducklings on Wednesday). How should she care for it until then or is there anyone in the Owosso area that would be willing to care for it? It appears to be a mallard.

I might be able to, but the drive is almost an hour and a half. I will need to see. It may not even be able to survive if I was even able to take it

 

[tori8780]

I might be able to, but the drive is almost an hour and a half. I will need to see. It may not even be able to survive if I was even able to take it

We found someone in the next town over! Thank you though. I hope the little guy makes it, hes a cutie!