Moved them into the big coop!

[midget_farms]

My 26 chicks are about 8 weeks old. I built a new 8x10 coop for them & the other hens to live in. This weekend I moved the chicks from the brooder to the coop - they seemed pretty stoked about it.

I let the hens out of the run to free range & then closed the run up & opened the coop so the chicks could run around (I still have the old coop).

Then last night after all were asleep I quietly moved the 4 hens & 1 rooster to the new coop.

This morning I opened it up & all was well.

Silly hens can't count! - They didn't even notice there were a bunch of chicks running around!

 

[Maren's Marans]

I am encouraged to hear that. When I finally find my Marans, I will be adding them to my Welsummers and Mottled Java's. I love the stories of how to introduce by confusion. Sometimes I don't think they have the sense that God gave a cricket. What does it say about me that I can watch them all day?

 

[midget_farms]

I've used this technique several times. It has never failed me.

Since the hens can't count - if they wake up with more chickens than they went to bed with they don't know more have arrived & just assume they've been there the entire time!

Of course they still go through the pecking order stuff - but you can't get around that.

I did hang two feeders & two waterers in case the hens get greedy.