Roo? Can I replace?

[SueAndHerZoo]

I apologize but need the opinion of seasoned chicken people. I think I have two males out of the eight baby chicks I purchased that were supposedly sexed. If these are males I need to find a new home for them. But I really wanted 8 to 10 chicks: if I buy a couple of newly hatched now will they get picked on and bullied by these five week olds?

 

[rosemarythyme]

At 5 weeks old that's a boy.

I personally would not add more chicks at this time unless you can get ones closer in age (and then add them immediately). You're kind of right on the cusp with how much older and bigger these are compared to newly hatched chicks. Plus a flock that's staggered by a year or more will have more consistent egg production over time.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

They may get picked on and bullied, but IMO they are probably in greater danger of being trampled and squashed. If you get day-olds, raise them separately and then integrate them when the younger ones are closer in size to the older ones, like when they are about 8 weeks old.

 

[wrathsfarm]

Yes, you have 2 males. Vent sexing at hatch is roughly 90% accurate so accidents do happen. I hope you find good homes for them.

Curious, what breed are they?

 

[mcdze]

that wont work out, youll have to raise them in a box/pen to 4-5 weeks before you can put them together .. and just 1-2 can cause them to have social development issues, id get at least 3 ... rule of thumb for future reference is shoot higher than your target flock size starting with chicks .. you want a solid flock of 10 and one roo get 15-20 chicks and it will work out with minimal culling .. its also best to cull at the stage your at its much easier to deal with, theyre smaller and it doesnt take much effort, pellet gun and shovel and your done in 5 mins no fuss ..mature birds are tough, physically large to deal with, loud, and youll be more attached at that point ...

 

[SueAndHerZoo]

pellet gun and shovel and your done in 5 mins no fuss ..mature birds are tough, physically large to deal with, loud, and youll be more attached at that point ... that ship has sailed. There is no way I could intentionally end the life of anything... hell, I even catch and release any bugs I find in my house.

Plus a flock that's staggered by a year or more will have more consistent egg production over time. By a year or so? So should I try to obtain some older hens to add to these girls?

If you get day-olds, raise them separately and then integrate them when the younger ones are closer in size to the older ones, like when they are about 8 weeks old. My indoor brooder is still set up, I could do that, but won't the newbies still get picked on by the original group?

Curious, what breed are they? Were sold as black australorps.

that wont work out, youll have to raise them in a box/pen to 4-5 weeks before you can put them together .. and just 1-2 can cause them to have social development issues, id get at least 3. Well, you know chicken math - if I buy more chicks I think I will need to get at least four or five more - Tractor Supply has a minimum. But the newbies will probably be a different breed, I guess that doesn't matter?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

indoor brooder is still set up, I could do that, but won't the newbies still get picked on by the original group?

Not once they are all pretty much the same size, if you integrate them properly.I recently wrote an article on the subject. Here you go.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-a-pictorial-guide.79343/

But the newbies will probably be a different breed, I guess that doesn't matter?

No. Chickens of different breeds typically get along pretty well.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Plus a flock that's staggered by a year or more will have more consistent egg production over time. By a year or so? So should I try to obtain some older hens to add to these girls?
I would actually suggest waiting a year and adding chicks next year to meet the number you want. My flock is currently staggered at 8 yrs, 6 yrs, 4 yrs and chicks. Adding older birds brings a higher disease risk and they still would need to be integrated in with the existing birds.

Is there a reason you want 8-10 right now? And do you have space to handle integration as well as a potential separate set up if you plan on doing a biological quarantine? https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...nderestimated-part-of-raising-chickens.67097/

 

[SueAndHerZoo]

Plus a flock that's staggered by a year or more will have more consistent egg production over time. By a year or so? So should I try to obtain some older hens to add to these girls?
I would actually suggest waiting a year and adding chicks next year to meet the number you want. My flock is currently staggered at 8 yrs, 6 yrs, 4 yrs and chicks. Adding older birds brings a higher disease risk and they still would need to be integrated in with the existing birds.

Is there a reason you want 8-10 right now? And do you have space to handle integration as well as a potential separate set up if you plan on doing a biological quarantine? https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...nderestimated-part-of-raising-chickens.67097/

No, don't have to have 8-10 chicks right away, but I figured that was a good number for the size of the coop and run and I wanted to raise them all together, not have to deal with adding/quarantining any new ones later on, just getting to know the ones I have, getting them to trust me and be pets, and reap the benefits of plenty of eggs as a bonus. We go through a LOT of eggs in my house. I'm afraid with only 6 chicks we will still be supplementing with store bought eggs and since I think we have the room for 2-4 more, I'd like to get them, raise them, and enjoy them. I am hoping chicken math doesn't affect me and cause me to want more next year because I will be enjoying my grown chicks so much, they will already be trained to my yard and my dogs, etc.
Sue