Starting my flock - feedback on my chick choices, please!

[Heididi]

Hi, friends. I have got my coop and run prepared and have decided upon all female chicks, and six of them. We have a 4X4X4 coop, with an attached run that is 8X12X6 high. 1/4 inch hardware mesh everywhere, and double locks on all doors. They will also be given free range inside a mobile hoop run on a rotating basis around the back garden during most days. We feel 6 hens is maxing out our space, but also are aware that, realistically, as first time hen keepers, we might experience some loss when predators test the security we have for our flock. We have hawks, raccoons, rats, owls and coyotes and neighbors have reported heavy losses when predators figure out how to access the birds. We also know there might be a bully in the flock at some point, which we anticipate we may need to relocate if it is a problem, and our goal is to have all of our chicks raised together from day one, and to avoid introducing new hens for years.

That being said, we are starting (we think) with a 2 week old silver laced Wyandotte, one each 3 week old Australorp and Barred Rock, and one each 4 week old Easter Egger, Rhode Island Red, and Buff Orpington.

I would have preferred to have all the same age, but that is not possible with the source I've found for healthy chicks. I don't know whether I should keep all the 6 hens together until the youngest our feathered out enough to handle the outdoor coop living, or if it will screw up their social dynamic to move the older members of the flock out into the yard when they are old enough. I invite all your feedback. Again, my main concerns are to avoid any of the social issues (bullying/pecking order). We want eggs, but also to have happy feathered pets.

Thank you!!!

 

[Ribh]

Hi. I have Aussies & Rocks & know they get along well together in a flock being of a similar weight & temperament. They are both fairly laid back breeds. I will be adding Wyandottes & Campines in a few months & am hoping the older more laid back hens will counteract some of the flightiness these breeds are supposed to have. All the best. I think your choices will work beautifully.

 

[feathermaid]

Why do the chicks have to be that old when you get them? Are they/will they be living together at the place you're getting them from? If so, they should already be used to each other.

If not, the wyandotte will probably have the roughest time and the RIR will probably be the boss. Is there a way to get another chick the same age as the little SLW? It's usually a lot easier on mixed ages when the youngest outnumber the older. But still, I think they should all be brooded together. Don't separate them because of slight feathering differences, it would be so much more stressful on everyone trying to put them back together again.

If you use a heat plate/heating pad in the brooder, or brood them directly in the coop, they will acclimate much sooner than using a lamp. My 2nd batch of pullets were raised in the coop and completely off heat by about 4-5 weeks old, but I still left the mama heating pad available for another week or two in case they ever needed a quick warm up... which they didn't. But since you'll have different ages, I think that would be a great method to use. Only the chicks that need heat will use it while the others are off to roosting, but they can essentially still all be together. I'm even thinking the younger might want to roost right alongside the others to stay warm.

Here's a pic of my integrated birds... 2 at 5 weeks old, 1 at 6 weeks old, and 2 adults

You can sort of see the brooder under the poop tray, in the back was the heating pad (I ran an extension cord). The picket barrier was to just give the chicks access to come and go but keep the grown hens out.

These are the links I used to help me with my system:
You Certainly Can Brood Chicks Outdoors
Mama Heating Pad
Pseudo Brooder Heater ‘Plate’

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

Find a different source and get all the same age.. I would LOVE to see your Coop and run!!!

 

[Heididi]

Hi, friends. I have got my coop and run prepared and have decided upon all female chicks, and six of them. We have a 4X4X4 coop, with an attached run that is 8X12X6 high. 1/4 inch hardware mesh everywhere, and double locks on all doors. They will also be given free range inside a mobile hoop run on a rotating basis around the back garden during most days. We feel 6 hens is maxing out our space, but also are aware that, realistically, as first time hen keepers, we might experience some loss when predators test the security we have for our flock. We have hawks, raccoons, rats, owls and coyotes and neighbors have reported heavy losses when predators figure out how to access the birds. We also know there might be a bully in the flock at some point, which we anticipate we may need to relocate if it is a problem, and our goal is to have all of our chicks raised together from day one, and to avoid introducing new hens for years.

That being said, we are starting (we think) with a 2 week old silver laced Wyandotte, one each 3 week old Australorp and Barred Rock, and one each 4 week old Easter Egger, Rhode Island Red, and Buff Orpington.

I would have preferred to have all the same age, but that is not possible with the source I've found for healthy chicks. I don't know whether I should keep all the 6 hens together until the youngest our feathered out enough to handle the outdoor coop living, or if it will screw up their social dynamic to move the older members of the flock out into the yard when they are old enough. I invite all your feedback. Again, my main concerns are to avoid any of the social issues (bullying/pecking order). We want eggs, but also to have happy feathered pets.

Thank you!!!

T

Hi. I have Aussies & Rocks & know they get along well together in a flock being of a similar weight & temperament. They are both fairly laid back breeds. I will be adding Wyandottes & Campines in a few months & am hoping the older more laid back hens will counteract some of the flightiness these breeds are supposed to have. All the best. I think your choices will work beautifully.

Thank you for your reassurances! I ended up panicking and telling our chick source that we will stick with just the Australorp, Barred Rock, RIR, and Buff Orpington. I feel better about 4 than 6. Thanks for weighing in! I am like a first time mother - panicking about every little thing. It's nice to get the wiser chicken parents' feedback.

 

[Heididi]

Find a different source and get all the same age.. I would LOVE to see your Coop and run!!!

I reduced the number of chicks to 4 and now they are all within one week of one another. I will definitely post a picture of the setup we have. I think it is pretty cool, especially since my 14 year old son built it for me

 

[Heididi]

Why do the chicks have to be that old when you get them? Are they/will they be living together at the place you're getting them from? If so, they should already be used to each other.

If not, the wyandotte will probably have the roughest time and the RIR will probably be the boss. Is there a way to get another chick the same age as the little SLW? It's usually a lot easier on mixed ages when the youngest outnumber the older. But still, I think they should all be brooded together. Don't separate them because of slight feathering differences, it would be so much more stressful on everyone trying to put them back together again.

If you use a heat plate/heating pad in the brooder, or brood them directly in the coop, they will acclimate much sooner than using a lamp. My 2nd batch of pullets were raised in the coop and completely off heat by about 4-5 weeks old, but I still left the mama heating pad available for another week or two in case they ever needed a quick warm up... which they didn't. But since you'll have different ages, I think that would be a great method to use. Only the chicks that need heat will use it while the others are off to roosting, but they can essentially still all be together. I'm even thinking the younger might want to roost right alongside the others to stay warm.

Here's a pic of my integrated birds... 2 at 5 weeks old, 1 at 6 weeks old, and 2 adults
View attachment 1668936
You can sort of see the brooder under the poop tray, in the back was the heating pad (I ran an extension cord). The picket barrier was to just give the chicks access to come and go but keep the grown hens out.

These are the links I used to help me with my system:
You Certainly Can Brood Chicks Outdoors
Mama Heating Pad
Pseudo Brooder Heater ‘Plate’

Thank you so much for this info!! I've been researching based on your message all morning and think I'm going to just convert my coop in to my brooder! I'll send pics once I come up with my solution. These were really helpful videos. I'm going to try to use a cookie sheet, heating pad, towel wrapped in "press and seal" then leftover fabric for the little 'cave'. I'll know by the end of today how well it works!

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

I reduced the number of chicks to 4 and now they are all within one week of one another. I will definitely post a picture of the setup we have. I think it is pretty cool, especially since my 14 year old son built it for me

if you only want 4... Your run is big enough!

 

[feathermaid]

Thank you so much for this info!! I've been researching based on your message all morning and think I'm going to just convert my coop in to my brooder! I'll send pics once I come up with my solution. These were really helpful videos. I'm going to try to use a cookie sheet, heating pad, towel wrapped in "press and seal" then leftover fabric for the little 'cave'. I'll know by the end of today how well it works!

Awesome! Ever since I learned about the heating pad method, I just want to help spread the word! I forgot to mention that these are just cheaper diy versions of chick heating plates, but a lot softer. Though some heating pads do cost just as much as a small Heating Plate, but my pad is not fancy... only 3 settings. Here's what my setup looked like the first night:


My coop brooder wasn't ready right away so I kept them in a tote for a week or so and I modified the MHP to be able to adjust the height. By 8-14 days old they were already spending a lot of time on top or just wandering around.



Is there a reason you can't get your chicks at 1 day and 1 week old... instead of 3 and 4 weeks old?

 

[Heididi]

Thanks for the photo! I think I've worked out my frame for the heating pad (a recycled tomato cage!) and next comes the big decision about bedding. I'm a little worried about pine shavings being flammable in a coop away from the house with electricity running to it. As for my choice to get 3 and 4 week olds, it was not my first choice, or my second, really. I wanted to have a hen hatch chicks, or to get day olds and raise them, but there is a quarantine in our area due to some terrible virus. The chicks available in the species I'm interested in getting were this age. I'm in San Diego county. I wanted to be sure the source of the chicks was local and safe. They arrive tomorrow!!!!