- May 1, 2011
- 77
- 3
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I plan on aquiring 3-4 chicks (males) in the next few weeks in the hope of raising my own rooster. I currently have a flock of 12 hens. I plan on keeping one for my girls and eating the runners-up. I have a few questions though.
1. At what age can I move the chicks out of the brooder safely? Is there a gradual step down system?
2. Where do I move them to? Will they still need a heat source?
3. Can they be put in a cordoned off section of the run to allow for visual from the hens without physical interaction? If so should they have their own little "coopette" to shelter them until introduced directly to the flock?
4. At what age should I put the cockerels in the flock? Should I introduce all of them to try and gauge receptivity or decide before hand which will be the lucky boy?
I live in So. Calif. so the daytime highs right now are anywhere between 55 and 75 degrees depending on the day. Night lows can get in the 30s. My hens are in a coop at night, then free range on 1/2 acre during the day. The coop has an attached run that is quite large, about 20' x 35'.
Thanks so much, I know I will be back often in the next few months with a lot more questions.
1. At what age can I move the chicks out of the brooder safely? Is there a gradual step down system?
2. Where do I move them to? Will they still need a heat source?
3. Can they be put in a cordoned off section of the run to allow for visual from the hens without physical interaction? If so should they have their own little "coopette" to shelter them until introduced directly to the flock?
4. At what age should I put the cockerels in the flock? Should I introduce all of them to try and gauge receptivity or decide before hand which will be the lucky boy?
I live in So. Calif. so the daytime highs right now are anywhere between 55 and 75 degrees depending on the day. Night lows can get in the 30s. My hens are in a coop at night, then free range on 1/2 acre during the day. The coop has an attached run that is quite large, about 20' x 35'.
Thanks so much, I know I will be back often in the next few months with a lot more questions.
