Ack! I'm so sick of this site eating my posts, anyways for the second try:
How cute!
Congrats on the babies! How's the rest of the hatch going?
I've hatched 8 out of 11 so far, 3 left in the incubator. I candled last night, I thought I saw
movement but I think I'm just desperate to see anything. Figures they're the AM eggs too, so I only have a couple of those. I can't wait to do another hatch, I wish I could squeeze one more in this summer. I'm going to shoot for another come August/September.
I have to say though these BLRW's are so cute
And an AM:
My husband is almost done with the coop too. Needs some stain (I'm thinking red) he used an old window for a pulley door. It's nice because it gets a little sun, but the coop is in the shade too. We also need to add some ventilation, and he has to put the nesting boxes in. We have a while before we need those though. Also need the run- but they'll
be free ranging too, and a ramp for them to get in and out. But it's a good start. Also, I think my other orpington is a roo, so he'll have to go. My husbands best friend wants him so he can go there. Also I have black spots coming in some, on my lighter girl, so I think she'll be splash.
Others may disagree with this and I'm totally open to a
here but I integrate successfully as early as 4-5 weeks. I give them a place to go that only they can fit into but not with their own water and food. I do keep a GOOD eye on them for the weekend and then keep an eye on their weight and look of their overall health. It has worked really well for me. If I keep hatching then I just can't keep every batch of chickens separate every 21 days so I had to figure out a way to integrate them.
Couple important things:
1. Weather has to be good so that the big ones are out of the coop a lot
2. You need a big yard for the chickens so they can be entertained by bugs etc and not new recruits.
3. I put their safe place in the coop and sometimes will lock the big folks out for a couple morning hours especially when I add new chicks.
4. I have always integrated 4 or more chicks this way so that it's not one lone survivor
I did the same thing. My box in the coop has a mesh door connecting it to the coop. Put them outside at 4 weeks, and after 2 weeks, cut a hole in it so the littles could go in and out at will. I finally took the food and water out of the grower box yesterday (they are 10 weeks) and no one has been in it since!. They just started roosting, but some still sleep in a pile in the corner.
Lots of space to hide in the run, and multiple feed/water stations.