Petting

[Campesina]

How does your water cup work?
More specifically how does it re-fill?

 

[whittychick]

My chicks are 4-5 weeks old can I start to give them treats (yogurt, fruits, veggies) yet?

 

[whittychick]

Also, my chicks are in a separate coop next to the big girls coop...when can I add them with the big girls you think? I have a blue silkie who is my smallest chick tho. I don't want my big girls to hurt them!!!

 

[PrimroseMom1]

Also, my chicks are in a separate coop next to the big girls coop...when can I add them with the big girls you think? I have a blue silkie who is my smallest chick tho. I don't want my big girls to hurt them!!!

I did the same setup, my baby Amercuanas in a coop next to the big girls, only hardware cloth between them. I let my big girls out every morning and lock them in the coop at night. I let the young ones out under close supervision at around 2 months. The first time the big girls cornered the babies like some kind of killer gang and I had to rescue my poor panting terrified babies. I waited a few days and tried again. On the 3rd try the big girls mostly ignored the babies. I let them stay out and checked often. Ever since then they are together but there is no doubt about which chickens are the rulers. The babies respect that so there's no real issues. Every night one of the big girls goes to bed in the babies' coop and I have to physically move her. I just don't trust her enough to lock the babies up with her. Lol. I don't know if this helps but it worked for me to introduce new hens two times.

 

[LoneOak]

Quote: Campesina, who are you asking?

 

[aggiemae]

Also, my chicks are in a separate coop next to the big girls coop...when can I add them with the big girls you think? I have a blue silkie who is my smallest chick tho. I don't want my big girls to hurt them!!!

Because I had more new chicks than hens this year I mixed them at 12 weeks but I usually wait until ~14 weeks.

I make sure there are several feeding/watering stations and the chicks have hiding places and also keep an eye (or at least an ear) on them. It seems like two flocks for a while but eventually they start hanging together and I find that they can almost always share a coop once they are all laying though sometimes the weather has to cool down before all the younger girls are allowed up on the top roost.

In the past week I have noted that Lorraine, one of our 2013 chicks (hatched 3/1) is now the #2 hen.

 

[The Mother Hen]

I would wait about another week or so ( 6 weeks should be alright). Although I have given my chicks treats and they are much younger than yours... plus they are all acting healthy.

 

[The Mother Hen]

Where do chicks like to be petted the most? I want to be able to make them relax more.

I pet my chicks carefully behind their ears... it makes them fall asleep! Petting a hen, you can pet them almost anywhere, just be careful if it's near the tail or the belly.

 

[itgns]

Question! Not sure if it was answered or not.

I ordered some day olds which will be here soon and one is supposed to be a roo. I want to wait until they're older to give treats, but once I start doing that, do I have to push the roo away? How do I go about making sure my hens are friendly but making sure my roo doesn't get too comfortable?

 

[The Mother Hen]

Question! Not sure if it was answered or not.

I ordered some day olds which will be here soon and one is supposed to be a roo. I want to wait until they're older to give treats, but once I start doing that, do I have to push the roo away? How do I go about making sure my hens are friendly but making sure my roo doesn't get too comfortable?

Since you will be getting day old chicks, the best thing to do is get them on a chick starter. For the first week or two chicks are susceptible to diseases which can kill off a chick. When you immediately get the chick, immediately place them in a warm dry box with bedding and feed them the chick starter. I am not sure if you have IFA in your area, Intermountain Farm Association, but if you do they carry that. I am sure other pet stores will have it to. You want the MEDICATED chick starter because it as medicine in it to boost the hens immune systems. Now a question for you, do you want the rooster? If not keep him until he starts to crow and then you can eat him if you want (or sell him, whichever way). For the treats you will have to wait a little since the hens can get very ill if not medicated.