New chicken

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parkerchick6

parkerchick6

In the Brooder
6 Years
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Hey everyone, I just got some new chickens in my coop that are about 12 weeks and I think they are having a hard time adjusting. The lady I got them from had them in a wire cage in a barn so I don't think they have ever been outside or in the grass. They just sit wherever I put them and don't move. Any thought on how to help them feel more at home?
 
I take it there is no existing flock other than these new ones? If so, you need to confine them either to the coop if it's not too hot or a run area. They need time to adjust...chickens are very sensitive and easily stressed when it comes to change...give them time, they'll come around.
 
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Hello there and welcome to BYC!
frow.gif


The best thing you can do is go sit with them, on the ground in the coop and run. Bring some food too. Food is a wonderful bonding agent. Let the get used to you and see you as nothing to be afraid of. Do this every day for a few weeks and sit with them as much as possible. If you want them to free range, go sit with them outside as well.

Make sure you have accessable roost bars that they can get onto easily, in another month or so, put some fake eggs in the nest boxes so they get to know where to lay their eggs.

Moves slowly around them, don't try to pick them up for a couple weeks. Talk softly to them and pack some goodies on you so they see you as a positive thing in their lives.

So give them time. They are young yet. Oh, and if you have a ticking clock you can put in the coop, this really calms birds down. I keep one in my coop and used to use them all the time to keep the inside parrots from being stressed.

Good luck with your new flock and welcome to ours!
 
Welcome to BYC! Please make yourself at home and we are here to help.

Yes, make sure you are just calm and quiet around them. Give them treats and cuddles each day. Make sure they are comfy. Also, put some fake eggs and maybe even some curtains in/over the nests as this will make them feel safe. Make sure they have food, water and calcium.

They'll take a few days to he settled but you'll be shocked at how well they adapt. Just as long as they are healthy and comfy, they are happy!:)

Feel free to ask any other questions.
 
Thanks for the information. What are some favorite chicken treats? And what age can they start having treats?
 
parkerchick6 said:
Thanks for the information. What are some favorite chicken treats? And what age can they start having treats?
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When they are a few days old they should just eat soft foods such as oatmeal and eggs. Once they age to 8 weeks and up they can eat any other the following:
Berries

Greens Don’t give out iceberg lettuce, which is really just green-tinged, unhealthy water and don’t overdo spinach which can result in poor egg quality if fed to often.

Eggs and Eggshells-Remember to rinse and crush the shells and cook the eggs before feeding. Scrambled and boiled eggs are also a wonderful snack for chicks and molting chickens.

Fruits The fruits you give them can be damaged but never moldy.

Garlic-Garlic is very healthy for chickens and acts a natural wormer, laying stimulant, feather re-grower and boosts the circulatory system. It’s also helpful to put in the water or food when a chicken is sick.

Herbs Basil, thyme, comfrey, parsley, bay leaves, lavender, calendula, spearmint, lemongrass, catnip, sage, oregano, yarrow, chickweed, marjoram, cilantro, peppermint, clover, dandelions, dill, bee balm, echinacea, fennel, mint, feverfew, garlic, ginger, lemon balm, marigold, nasturtium, nettles, pineapple sage, rosemary, wormwood and cinnamon.

Dairy

Meat Scraps Don't feed them spoiled meat, as it’s poisonous.

Vegetable

Pumpkins and Squash

Spaghetti, Pasta, Bread and Rice

Bread, Cake, Cookies, Cereal, etc Scrape off the frosting on cake and cookies.

Garden or Yard Weeds Avoid feeding them yew, mushrooms or fungi.

Treats should only take up 10% of their daily diet.
 
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Hello :frow and Welcome To BYC! There is a nice chicken treat chart in the Learning Center https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/chicken-treat-chart-the-best-treats-for-backyard-chickens Mealworms and other insects are really popular, Black Oil Sunflower Seeds are another. It is usually recommended to limit treats to about 10% of the diet, age wise as long as they have grit available you can feed them small amounts pretty much anytime, many people like to wait until they are 6-8 weeks old though to be sure they have a balanced diet while young.
 
Welcome to BYC! They can have some treats even as chicks, such as chick crumbles, fine ground corn, or finely chopped wheat grass, but I would be careful not to give them too much (treats should be less than 10 % of a chicken's diet) as treats will not meet all of their dietary needs and too many treats (especially starchy ones) will make them fat and unhealthy. It's the equivalent of us eating potato chips and candy. When they are about eight weeks old, you can start giving them other treats such as fruits and vegetables (split open), greens, seeds, and scratch. Good luck with your flock.
 

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