Montana

[karlamaria]

Just adding my experience in integrating chickens.  I found that it is better to integrate three or more at a time rather than just one.  I currently have a mixed flock of bantam and LF chickens that live in the coop together without issue.
I have a large fenced area for chickens to safely play.  I also let everyone out on nice days to wander the acre.

I bought a large insulated home-built dog house that was on craig's list and put it in the corner of the fenced area. When my bantams were about 5-12 weeks old, I put them in the dog house and left it open during the day in the large fenced area.  The little ones could run into their own place if frightened, and there is a lot of room in the pen to get away from the large chickens.

They integrated very well in this setting.  I would say it took about a month of slowing intermingling on their own to become comfortable with everyone in the pen.  They all get along fine now despite size. 

Now I am integrating them into the coop a few at a time.  Never less than 3.  It takes time for the bigger girls and boys to accept the new ones into the coop.  If they start to pick on just one of them, I take it out and put it back in the dog house and put a different one in it's place in the coop with the other two that I am integrating.  So far this has worked.  I hope it keeps working because I have another 2 batches that will have to integrate the same way. 

As long as I don't crowd them,  there appears to be no problem. 

lol it does take time, I'm going to have to do the same thing here soon, but it's harder in a back yard. most of you all have land, I got a back yard. It was not bad dealing with integration, but two hens refused and so I took them to moms, she had them over the summer and when I brought them back home I figured they would be low on the totem pole, nope they took right after them and would not stop, even drawing blood. Making the other chickens constantly running also. They went to a new home. I just rather have a broody, they do all the work and I can be free to just let mom raise and integrate. Makes life a whole lot easier. Now today I got another broody, anyone got eggs for me to put under her and Iive close lol.

 

[karlamaria]

I'm a new member who lives on the outskirts of Billings (a few hundred feet from the city limits).  Have 13 chicks now, ranging in age from 10 to 14 days - a mixed flock of good layers I hope, except a few might turn out to be roosters!  I started on a small 6' X 8' coop this weekend.  Completed the elevated floor, 2' off the ground.  Glued vinyl down to the floor, but still waiting for the glue to set up since it didn't get above freezing until today! 

The chicks are doing great, starting to sprout tails and tiny combs, and starting to fly already.  I have:

2 Rhode Island Reds
4 Black Australorps
3 Buff Orpingtons
2 Americaunas (Easter Eggers)
2 Grey Barred Rocks

Got them from Big R West.  They seem to be very healthy birds and my two young boys are enjoying them a lot.  The americaunas are their favorites so far because of their chipmunk colorings and puffy cheeks!  Also, they are the youngest of the flock and seem to be the friendliest so far (easiest to catch and don't make a fuss when you hold them).  The rocks seem to be the next most friendliest/easiest to tame.  We love them all, though.  The Australorps remind us of little penguins!

Its good so see the number of posts on this site from Billings.  I have really enjoyed this site and have learned a lot so far.

Doug

hi Doug, good to meet you, sounds like a nice coop going up, it's cold here, are you going to insulate it? You got some good chickens, your austerlorps lay amazing, so do the rest, your buff orphingtons will be good layers but more mportsntly good broody mamas ! You can put fertile ages under them and they will hatch out your new babies and take care of the for you so you do not have to anything. Even teaching the big girls to not touch. ( broody mamas are the best for adding to your flock) your rhode island reds are also awesome layers, mine are my back bone to eggs. If you get time post pics, maybe we can help you pick out the roosters lol.

 

[ReptileMom]

I, too, have a broody frizzle cochin bantam that I finally brought into the house with the eight eggs she had appropriated (none of them hers, of course!). She has a very large box with an enclosed nest all to herself. She never leaves the nest. I bring the water to her and she drinks her fill. I have put food in front of her but haven't seen her eat. She is very faithful. Has another week to go. Can't wait to hear all the little peeps. This is the first natural hatch that I will have had. I hope for her sake that at least some are fertile. If not, then I will probably slip a couple of incubating bantams that are to hatch this next week under her instead. She will probably adopt them quite easily (I hope).

 

[Jessshan8]

I'm a new member who lives on the outskirts of Billings (a few hundred feet from the city limits). Have 13 chicks now, ranging in age from 10 to 14 days - a mixed flock of good layers I hope, except a few might turn out to be roosters! I started on a small 6' X 8' coop this weekend. Completed the elevated floor, 2' off the ground. Glued vinyl down to the floor, but still waiting for the glue to set up since it didn't get above freezing until today!

The chicks are doing great, starting to sprout tails and tiny combs, and starting to fly already. I have:

2 Rhode Island Reds
4 Black Australorps
3 Buff Orpingtons
2 Americaunas (Easter Eggers)
2 Grey Barred Rocks

Got them from Big R West. They seem to be very healthy birds and my two young boys are enjoying them a lot. The americaunas are their favorites so far because of their chipmunk colorings and puffy cheeks! Also, they are the youngest of the flock and seem to be the friendliest so far (easiest to catch and don't make a fuss when you hold them). The rocks seem to be the next most friendliest/easiest to tame. We love them all, though. The Australorps remind us of little penguins!

Its good so see the number of posts on this site from Billings. I have really enjoyed this site and have learned a lot so far.

Doug

Barred Rocks can be color sexed early..... sounds like you have two roos there! Pullets will be mostly black with grey barring. Cockerels are mostly grey with black barring. Sorry if that is not what you wanted to hear. In my experience the RIR's, Buff Orps, and Barred Rocks are extremely friendly namely the RIR's. The Australorps and EE's can be but keep their distance.

 

[karlamaria]

I, too, have a broody frizzle cochin bantam that I finally brought into the house with the eight eggs she had appropriated (none of them hers, of course!).  She has a very large box with an enclosed nest all to herself. She never leaves the nest.  I bring the water to her and she drinks her fill.  I have put food in front of her but haven't seen her eat.  She is very faithful.  Has another week to go.  Can't wait to hear all the little peeps.  This is the first natural hatch that I will have had.  I hope for her sake that at least some are fertile.  If not, then I will probably slip a couple of incubating bantams that are to hatch this next week under her instead.  She will probably adopt them quite easily (I hope).

my girl will not leave her nest either , once a day I lift her off and taker out to eat and drink. She gets mad, but se goes nuts on the food and water and then I lift er up and put er bavk. She poops big time and then I do not have to worry she will phoop her bed, which they do if they do not get up to go. And the smell omg the surfer smell. I definatly take her out lol. My girl will not eat in her bed,no way probably so she does not oop, but no way do I want my hen to go with out food. This is her second tie brooding, she does well, my lady broody was awesome and brooded 3 batche's .

 

[karlamaria]

Barred Rocks can be color sexed early..... sounds like you have two roos there! Pullets will be mostly black with grey barring. Cockerels are mostly grey with black barring. Sorry if that is not what you wanted to hear. In my experience the RIR's, Buff Orps, and Barred Rocks are extremely friendly namely the RIR's. The Australorps and EE's can be but keep their distance.

that's why I tell first time folk to buy extras in case of roosters. I learned this my first time, hen trying to add more later on.

 

[FlySammyJ]

Hi, I'm a new member located in the Bridger area south of BIllings. I don't have a flock yet, but I'm looking for sources of well-bred Golden Laced Wyandottes. They seem like a good match for the area and my needs. So nice to meet y'all, hopefully I'll post some pics of some new birds soon.

 

[DuginMT]

Thanks for the news. I did not know that about Barred Rocks! Well, they won't go to waste anyway, if they turn out to be roos. I will try to post some updated pictures tonight, maybe you will be able to catch a few more roos in there! Funny, I paid the extra dollar or two/chick to avoid the mixed runs of chicks, except for the Buff Orpingtons. It would be funny if all of the buffs turned out to be hens! I noticed yesterday that almost all of the chicks now have little tiny combs forming. Is it possible to sex them by comb size/development at this early age?

Doug

 

[lovemychikens]

I am in laurel

 

[Jessshan8]

Thanks for the news. I did not know that about Barred Rocks! Well, they won't go to waste anyway, if they turn out to be roos. I will try to post some updated pictures tonight, maybe you will be able to catch a few more roos in there! Funny, I paid the extra dollar or two/chick to avoid the mixed runs of chicks, except for the Buff Orpingtons. It would be funny if all of the buffs turned out to be hens! I noticed yesterday that almost all of the chicks now have little tiny combs forming. Is it possible to sex them by comb size/development at this early age?

Doug

Not really...... You should however be able to sex them by the feathering as the breeds you have all have typical feathering as related to sex of the chicks (some breeds are known as hen feathered where there is no difference between males and females. The feathers on the hackles(back of the neck) and lower back close to the tail will be thinner and longer in the males where the females will be wider and lay together nicely. This should become quite evident at 6 to 8 weeks. Hatcheries only guarantee 90% accuracy in sexing day old chicks. I got my first Barred Rock Roo from a group of pullets. He was an awesome bird and looked after his ladies very well and was not mean at all.