I'm in Kinderhook, NY - just south of Albany.
We ordered a late batch of meat birds in late October - 25 Cornish Cross males - from McMurray Hatchery. They sent me 26 chicks plus an "exotic" chick (I think it's a Cuckoo Maran - not sure of the sex) - which they do with each order I guess. Its always a nice surprise to have a different chick from the ones you ordered, but this one - I don't know what to do with "it" (hoping its gonna be a hen! Dark brown eggs!). We have 2 coops, one for the meat birds and one for my layers, ducks and guineas. The meat bird coop which is a converted shed without any roosts is where the young Cuckoo Maran has been living with it's "siblings", the Cornish Cross chickens. In this coop we have a heat lamp about 4 feet from the floor, so the Maran has been used to not only the warmth from the light, but the warmth of the other chickens. Its in the 30's during the day and in the low teens during the night. And its only going to get colder.
Last weekend we processed half of the meat birds. Next weekend we will be processing the remaining birds. That leaves the Maran without any housemates. I would imagine that if it is a male, when it's fully grown it will either be processed or it will be sold or given away (I already have 3 roosters). What is the best way to handle this chick? Its used to the warmth from the coop (the hens in the other coop do not have a heat lamp and never have). I can't justify leaving the bird alone in the current coop with a light on. Obviously, I don't want it to freeze but I don't think it's the best time to integrate it with the big birds.
Any suggestions?
Thanks.
Chick n Momma
We ordered a late batch of meat birds in late October - 25 Cornish Cross males - from McMurray Hatchery. They sent me 26 chicks plus an "exotic" chick (I think it's a Cuckoo Maran - not sure of the sex) - which they do with each order I guess. Its always a nice surprise to have a different chick from the ones you ordered, but this one - I don't know what to do with "it" (hoping its gonna be a hen! Dark brown eggs!). We have 2 coops, one for the meat birds and one for my layers, ducks and guineas. The meat bird coop which is a converted shed without any roosts is where the young Cuckoo Maran has been living with it's "siblings", the Cornish Cross chickens. In this coop we have a heat lamp about 4 feet from the floor, so the Maran has been used to not only the warmth from the light, but the warmth of the other chickens. Its in the 30's during the day and in the low teens during the night. And its only going to get colder.
Last weekend we processed half of the meat birds. Next weekend we will be processing the remaining birds. That leaves the Maran without any housemates. I would imagine that if it is a male, when it's fully grown it will either be processed or it will be sold or given away (I already have 3 roosters). What is the best way to handle this chick? Its used to the warmth from the coop (the hens in the other coop do not have a heat lamp and never have). I can't justify leaving the bird alone in the current coop with a light on. Obviously, I don't want it to freeze but I don't think it's the best time to integrate it with the big birds.
Any suggestions?
Thanks.
Chick n Momma