New here... great site!

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djgiffordrn

djgiffordrn

In the Brooder
6 Years
Apr 25, 2013
18
0
22
I am from New Hampshire... I have 11 Bantam free run chicks that are looking to be silkies? Their feathers are getting fluffy... we shall see... have 13 red pullets, that seem to be 8 brown and 5 light yellowish... their feathers are coming in nicely. The silkies are pretty so far, if that is what they are, lol... I am picking up 3 super friendly NHR hens today... do I have to keep them separated? That is my only question right now.... thanks.

Dolores
 
Greetings from Kansas, Delores, and
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! Pleased you joined our community! Best wishes and good luck!
 
Hi and welcome to BYC from northern Michigan
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Any time you get birds from a new source is best to quarantine them for 2-3 weeks completely separate from your other birds, so as to avoid introducing infections or parasites to your existing flock. Check them over carefully and watch them for signs of respiratory infections or parasites, both internal and external.
 
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from New Mexico!

Yes, definitely do the quarantine thing with the newbies. You don't want to endanger your original flock. Watch the new ones for a few weeks to make sure nobody is sick. Once you see everybody is healthy, introduce them slowly by keeping the new ones on the other side of a fence so everybody sees everybody for a few weeks. That way they can get to know each other thru a fence. When mixing day comes, there will be less aggression.

Glad you could join and enjoy BYC!
 
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Twocrows gave good advice on integrating new and old flocks - keep an eye on the silkies who are often the target of bullies. With their big crests and beards they don't see well.
 
Thanks everyone,

The three young ladies I picked up yesterday are NHRs and super sweet... will be one year old in June. I let them free range while I worked on the outside coop area... they are friendly and interactive and fun, lol. I will work on the indoor coop, setting up the chicken wire between the babies and three new ones... the bantams are getting big, but will keep with the babies for now... just need to do the door from the inside to the outside coop before adding the three ladies... so they can get outside... I don't want the babies out yet... not quite warm enough here, unfortunately....
 
The girls are in their own area... then going to separate them with chicken wire til they get used to the little ones... they are super sweet though so I am not anticipating a problem...
 

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