My first time raising chicks!

[suprmomof2]

Hi all- I've been on this site for about a year now but have never posted anything! We are acquiring 2 babies tomorrow, and I want to be sure we are ready!! We have 3 grown leghorns in the movable tractor that we've had for about 2 yrs. I would love any feedback on how to raise the pullets and get them acquainted in the next couple of months.

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

Welcome to BYC!!

Glad you joined us!!

 

[redsoxs]

Greetings from Kansas, suprmomof2, and

! Great to have you with us!! After a suitable time in their brooder, how I like to intro new birds is, once they are fully feathered, to put them in close visual proximity to the established birds for a few days - like maybe on the other side of a fence - in a cage or pen. That way they can all "meet" before the big day. After a couple days of that I like to let the older birds head to their coop and then place the newbies into the coop at dark - no light in the coop or the newbies will get picked on and they would be trapped! At first light I open up the coop for the same reason. Then I observe. The older birds are at the top of the pecking order and will let the new girls know that - it is usually more noisy than it is mean - that's just the world in which they live. If there are problems I isolate the picked on bird for a two or three days and do it all over again. Good luck to you!!

 

[BuffBeck]

Howdy, supermomof2! I'm new to Back Yard Chickens, as well. Welcome!

Hope we can learn from each other & best wishes,
BuffBeck

 

[roostersandhens]

Welcome!

 

[sourland]

Good luck with those chicks, and welcome to BYC.

 

[drumstick diva]

 

[Kevin565]