I currently have 4-13 week old hens outside in the coop and 15-8 week old "babies" living on the porch in a watermelon bin. Six of these babies- 2 BOs, 2 SLWs, and 2 GLWs- want to be outside and are probably ready for the coop but I'm concerned about breaking up the flock and sending only a small amount of them outside at a time. It's gotten to the point that the bigger babies hop out of the watermelon bin and wait by the porch door in the morning until I let them outside to free range.
I have been introducing the bigger babies to the outside hens and the outside hens have pecked them a little while all of them free range in the yard. I've been allowing this "getting to know your chicken neighbor" time for about a week and a half. However I have 4 japanese bantams that think that my standard black cochin chick is their mother -even though they're all the same age- and while the cochin is big enough to go outside as well, the bantams are still small and when they're apart the cochin calls for her baby bantams. Neither the black cochin or the blue or silver laced cochins we have seem all that interested in being outside right now. I also have two silver sebrights that I don't feel are big enough to introduce to the large hens without some kind of serious injury happening.
So, my question is- do I split this flock up or do I continue to keep them out on the porch until they're all ready to be outside so as to keep the flock intact? They are a good group together- we've had no problems- so I would hate to do anything that would cause future conflict. However, these bigger chickens want to be outside- NOW- and let me know on a daily basis. Not to mention the huge poop mess they are leaving in their path from the watermelon bin to the porch door.
Any light you can shed on this situation would be greatly appreciated!
Lydia
I have been introducing the bigger babies to the outside hens and the outside hens have pecked them a little while all of them free range in the yard. I've been allowing this "getting to know your chicken neighbor" time for about a week and a half. However I have 4 japanese bantams that think that my standard black cochin chick is their mother -even though they're all the same age- and while the cochin is big enough to go outside as well, the bantams are still small and when they're apart the cochin calls for her baby bantams. Neither the black cochin or the blue or silver laced cochins we have seem all that interested in being outside right now. I also have two silver sebrights that I don't feel are big enough to introduce to the large hens without some kind of serious injury happening.
So, my question is- do I split this flock up or do I continue to keep them out on the porch until they're all ready to be outside so as to keep the flock intact? They are a good group together- we've had no problems- so I would hate to do anything that would cause future conflict. However, these bigger chickens want to be outside- NOW- and let me know on a daily basis. Not to mention the huge poop mess they are leaving in their path from the watermelon bin to the porch door.
Any light you can shed on this situation would be greatly appreciated!
Lydia