today's tragedy

[theguy67]

I know the nights are cold, here it drops into the 40s. Could I fence off a part of the chicken pen for the pullets so they can be seen but not touched until they are large enough? I will probably have a heat lamp avalible just like the adults have. It will probably be for a month or 2 at most.

I know i tend to ask alot of begginer questions (which I am) but I like to hear from many people that have experince on this subject.

 

[Wisher1000]

First of all, if it is only going down to 40 at night and that is as cold as it gets, the adults don't need any heat! The younger ones may need to have the lamp a bit longer if they are used to having it but only put it in one spot that they can get to if they want. I had a small pen within the pen for mine and an adjustable opening that I kept only large enough that the little ones could get into. I let them come and go as they pleased, kept starter/grower and water in there and put a lamp in one end of the "nursery" so they could get under it if they wanted. They stayed in there most of the time for the first two weeks, then I would find them out when the older birds where out free ranging. Later, they would come out and slip around the others and endure the occasional peck or chase. Finally, they grew big enough that the others could go in and out and would be cornered in there by someone looking to eat the starter. At that point I took the nursery out and they were on their own. The younger ones still get bullied by my old biddies but can out run them now! This arrangement worked so well that I am thinking of building a permanant wing to attach to the outside as an integration area with the adjustable door going into the main covered run.

BTW - the lamp was placed such that there was a short (6"off the floor) roost underneath the bulb and a higher one (18" high) on the other end away from the lamp. At about nine weeks they chose the higher roost with no heat and did just fine! With any flock, there will always be squabbles, but for now, no one is being injured. The younger ones are all roosters (I'm never buying straight runs again) and I suspect they will eventually have the last word in the matter! LOL Good luck on the next try, it will just take time and patience.