What do I do at 8weeks?

[chookymama]

I've just bought some 8 week old welsummers. They have all their feathers - or so it seems to my untrained eyes.
I also have adults hens, free ranging except at night.
I've put the chicks outside but in a run and a coop with water and growers food.

I can find lots of info on caring for chicks but I'm not sure how to care for 'teenagers' - when can they join the main flock?

I've also got some 12 week old marans that are currently running around witht he big girls and eating layers pellets - I've read that they should still be eating growers pellets but the only way to do this would be to confine them to a run and coop of their own. They seem so happy and adventurous running around free range that it seems cruel to shut them up in a coop.

What should I do please?

thanks

 

[peepkeeper]

The 8 week olds should be eating grower feed, other than that you can treat them like adult chickens. I would still keep them separated from the big chickens for a few more weeeks until they get a little bigger. Maybe you can let them try free ranging together and see how that works, you can separate them again if they're getting beaten up.

Put out a pan of grower food for the 12 week olds along with thte layer food for the big ones. You don't need to separate them. They'll each eat from both dishes and it will work out.

 

[chookymama]

Thanks for your reply.
I'll try that.