Thinking about adding to my existing flock... helpful tips please!

[Ol Grey Mare]

I’m not exactly sure wha breeds yet. That’s good to know that chicks should be easier to integrate into my flock.

I suggest this for reading on easy integration
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...rt-raising-your-chicks-outdoors.71995/?page=2

 

[camochick96]

They're really decently priced too, my starter flock of five cost about fifty bucks and the shipping was more expensive than the chicks.

Awesome!

 

[camochick96]

I suggest this for reading on easy integration
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...rt-raising-your-chicks-outdoors.71995/?page=2

Thank you that has a ton of helpful information!

 

[Mrs. K]

Measure you set up. Chicken math has gotten most of us. I am in favor of integrating the chicks sooner verses later, about 3/4 weeks old. They seem less of a threat, and don't need quite so much space.

Look up key words like panic rooms, or safety zones, places chicks can escape to that a big bird can't follow. Has worked slick for me.

Good luck, oh, I would pick one BO, nothing is more fun than a broody hen with chicks, and they have always gone broody for me.

Mrs K

 

[camochick96]

Measure you set up. Chicken math has gotten most of us. I am in favor of integrating the chicks sooner verses later, about 3/4 weeks old. They seem less of a threat, and don't need quite so much space.

Look up key words like panic rooms, or safety zones, places chicks can escape to that a big bird can't follow. Has worked slick for me.

Good luck, oh, I would pick one BO, nothing is more fun than a broody hen with chicks, and they have always gone broody for me.

Mrs K

Thank you! I’ve been trying to decide on how many I want because of chicken math, haha! Safety zones sound like a great idea to help protect the new chicks, I hadn’t thought or heard of that yet. I was looking at BO chicks earlier today!

 

[aart]

I’ve been trying to decide on how many I want because of chicken math

How many will your coop hold...in a healthy way?

I brood chicks in coop and integrate by 4-6 weeks:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/

 

[camochick96]

How many will your coop hold...in a healthy way?

I brood chicks in coop and integrate by 4-6 weeks:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/

My coop will technically hold 6. They only go in at night and spend the rest of their time in the run/free ranging.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

My coop will technically hold 6. They only go in at night and spend the rest of their time in the run/free ranging.

" Technically" as in it's a prefab and that's what it said on the Box?

 

[camochick96]

" Technically" as in it's a prefab and that's what it said on the Box?

No, no my brother and I constructed it ourselves with our own ideas. Nothing against prefab coops but that just wasn’t for me at all, I wanted something that worked specifically for me. It’s a 4x4 coop, so technically it will hold 6 birds if you do the chicken math is what I meant.

 

[Rlmp817]

I brood my chicks in the run (wire dog crate with extra hardwear cloth around the bottom to keep the Littles in the first week) I use a mama heating pad type set up, only I use a terracotta pot on its side with the heating pad wrapped over the top. (as the chicks get bigger you can change out the pot size) I put pine shavings in the pot to make it softer and cozy. The terracotta holds and disperses heat well, so it's kind of like a radient heat set up.

I have three 2 week olds and two 4 week olds in this set up right now and all of them let themselves in and out of their cage, hang out with the older birds and are fairly well integrates with the flock.
Still some pecking and chasing but the Littles can run to their brooder or other hidey spots around the run as needed.
This set up has been SO easy compared to brooding in the garage.

this photos has girls from my first go round with this set up earlier this spring.
View attachment 1741403
Here you can see them at about 4 weeks old, out and enjoying the run with everyone else.