The 6th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-a-long!

[NikkiCole5]

The person I am hatching for was bragging about only feeding the chickens scratch all winter--Poor things are in bad health this year and it shows in the hatch rates--and bad hatches.

Aww poor babies, I give treats in the winter time

 

[bantambury]

the chicks are OLD now! still in the brooder....but im worried about how ill put them into their new flocks. my OEGB are super small and not even a quarter of the size of my other guys. i dont that them getting hurt...thoughts?

 

[ginbart]

Well my friend needed some chicks so I gave her all of mine. I think I'm going to get some more Golden Comets if I still can. They lay great eggs.

 

[ronott1]

the chicks are OLD now! still in the brooder....but im worried about how ill put them into their new flocks. my OEGB are super small and not even a quarter of the size of my other guys. i dont that them getting hurt...thoughts?

Can you set up a temporary pen or fenced off area in your run? They will work out the pecking order through the fence. It can take a couple of weeks but is often faster.

I do have this in my notes:

I have a similar situation, since I have multiple hatches over a period of months. I read about breeders who keep all their different age groups separate, but that's not possible here.
I think so much depends on the individual birds dispositions, so what works one year may not work the next. I just do the best I can.

To answer your question about what is the oldest that I've been able to merge ... I'm constantly merging groups of different ages, in and out of different pens. (This is regarding females- not males.) So, there's not a set age when it will or won't work. They seem to accept reorganization, perhaps because it happens so often. I always try to integrate with at least a pair, or more. Putting a single bird into a new group will sometimes result in that bird becoming a scapegoat.

Here's what I do: Newly hatched chicks are kept in a brooder with their hatchmates until they feather out.
I have a large coop next to my house. It opens up to my yard, with grass, trees and lots of roses for cover. When the chicks feather out, they are put in this coop. For the first week, they are kept in an enclosure in this coop, so they get used to it. After that, the coop door is opened every day and they can range the yard.
I keep integrating new batches of chicks into this coop. Keeping them enclosed the first week also serves to introduce them to the previous group(s) in a protected way. The older birds always are somewhat dominant over the younger. This isn't ideal, but it's the way it is. I watch to make sure that none are getting hurt. This hasn't been an issue. I make sure that there are multiple feeders and waterers available. The coop is large enough that they all have space. After awhile, they all seem to become one group.
When the males become sexually mature - as soon as I see chasing going on - that group of mature males are separated to a separate bachelor pen.
This is where it gets tricky. Every year, it seems to be a little different. Sometimes I can add groups of males together. Last year, I could not. Two males that had grown up together and had been buddies were separated for about a month, then reunited. Never been a problem before, but this time my best male ended up being injured so badly that he died. Lesson learned. I'll never try to reunite groups of males that have been separated.
So, the males have a pen for culls and a pen for possible breeders. I also have a cull pen for pullets/hens. The possible breeder pullets stay in the coop near the house until they are large enough not to be hawk bait. Then I move them, in pairs or groups, out to the mobile coop on pasture. The mature hens in the mobile coop might push them around a bit at first, but then they all get along. There is sometimes a single rooster with this group. Males are rotated out there in the off season. During breeding season, I'm taking hens in and out of there, so the group is always changing.

That's what works for me.

 

[prizepete]

Guys I hope someone can help me... My silkie pullet, Who is about 9 weeks old is acting really weird. she seems to have lost a bunch of weight and isn't really walking around and not eating much. I put the other chicks in the chicken coop because they are ready anyway but i am worried. Should I be and what should I do?

 

[Chrysolinsbirds]

Check for parasites, listen to it's breathing,

Guys I hope someone can help me... My silkie pullet, Who is about 9 weeks old is acting really weird. she seems to have lost a bunch of weight and isn't really walking around and not eating much. I put the other chicks in the chicken coop because they are ready anyway but i am worried. Should I be and what should I do?

 

look for any injuries, electrolytes won't hurt, maybe start some antibiotics and make sure no one's been picking on it.. good luck hope it's not anything serious maybe someone else will chime in with better advice.

 

[LadyCluck77]

Guys I hope someone can help me... My silkie pullet, Who is about 9 weeks old is acting really weird. she seems to have lost a bunch of weight and isn't really walking around and not eating much. I put the other chicks in the chicken coop because they are ready anyway but i am worried. Should I be and what should I do?

Good advice above. Check the crop as well- (The sac between the throat and chest; does it seem really huge and swollen?) I had one nearly die from an infected crop- if you can, keep her in the house in a dog crate so you can control the food and water intake. If you have any corid, add about a teaspoon to the water. Poly-vis-ol (a baby vitamin drops supplement) is also good for chicks.

 

[MavisMama]

Try feeding fresh garlic diced small (must be fresh & diced to get full benefits). A small bit in daily ration will help get/keep the gut healthy. Hope she gets well soon!

 

[prizepete]

Thanks for all the help i think she was just so small that she wasn't getting enough food and now that she is separated she is getting lots better. Her croup was completely empty, I have no idea how long it had been, she is up, making noise, walking around and pooping so she is doing SO MUCH better. I wasn't sure she was going to pull trough... On the bright side she is super friendly, and she is (hopefully) going to be my little show bird.

 

[prizepete]

She is going to get some R and R now, She loves sitting with me while i am on my computer and watching tv