What do I do?

[abgraves69]

so, I originally hatched 2 bantams back in October. Happened to be a male and female and they are great. They go everywhere together. I also have 4 new chicks(supposedly pullets) that are a couple of weeks old. They are not outside yet. Inside and still in the brooder.

My problem is my rooster. He's been crowing a while and my neighbors are growing very very tired of it and I have the option of sending him to live with my father in law. I haven't done it yet because I'm worried how my hen would react to being alone until The chicks get old enough to put outside. I'd really like your views on this.

 

[Mrs. K]

chickens hate change, so my theory is to get it all over one time.

Send the rooster on, and introduce the chicks all at once. Maybe I don't understand the temperature in Florida, but if your chicks are a couple of weeks old, they should be feathered out, and really they need to be outside. They will need a sheltered spot from the wind, but with feathers they should easily manage the temperature.

Now your older hen is not going to like the chicks, she is going to be quite territorial, as in this is her coop, and the others do not belong. Start off by sectioning your run in a see but don't touch set up. Perhaps use a metal cage. And you might set it up so that some days the hen is in the cage and some days the chicks are in the cage. During this stage, you could bring them in at night for a few days, so as to give them time to be acclimated.

Then later on set up a one way gate, where the chicks can fit through, but the hen can't follow. Because you are adding more chicks than the one hen, while she is going to give all of them some pecks, she will be spreading the pecks out, so one bird does not get all of the pecks. She will get tired of doing all that pecking. Make sure there are some hide outs, multiple feeders, in the run, and you should be successful after a while.

Mrs K

 

[abgraves69]

Well, it's in the 60s here in north Florida. Which is too cold to keep them out. I kept my first chickens inside for 6 weeks and that was ultimately my goal for these. I do like the idea of making the changes all at once though. Maybe my neighbors can tough it out for a few more weeks. It's been going on a couple of months already.

 

[Mrs. K]

Those are your birds, and your comfort level, but for a feathered chicks, 60 degrees is not too cold. I am sure there is nothing wrong with your plan, but I would at least put them outside for a couple of hours each day. Chickens need sunshine and outdoor air and enough space to really get out and move around for some exercise.

Good luck

 

[abgraves69]

Yeah. They go outside for a bit everyday. Just not around the other chickens.

 

[duluthralphie]

I am agreeing with MrsK...

For us 60 is a great summer day!

If they are feathered out, I might give them a brooder box with a light that keeps the temp around 70, but I would allow them to be outside most the time.

I have found the cage within the pen to work well for getting birds to accept each other.

 

[speckledhen]

I have chicks who are almost 4 weeks old and don't even have full wing feathers much less any on their body so it really depends. I've never had a chick that was completely feathered at just two weeks old. Sixty is fine for short periods of time for a barely feathered chick, especially if they're with a broody but they still need a heat lamp for night if the temps dip and they have no mama. Bantams seem to feather faster, however, they are much smaller and seem to feel the chills more than LF chicks of the same age.

My adult hens will try to kill chicks, especially the non-broody types I own. It's a dicey proposition putting two week old chicks in with an adult hen, JMHO. Hate to be cold water, but just be careful here.

See this chick? He has no body feathers at all and he'll be 4 weeks old this week. They hunch up cold and want to go under mama when the wind blows in the 60's.

 

[abgraves69]

I have chicks who are almost 4 weeks old and don't even have full wing feathers much less any on their body so it really depends. I've never had a chick that was completely feathered at just two weeks old. Sixty is fine for short periods of time for a barely feathered chick, especially if they're with a broody but they still need a heat lamp for night if the temps dip and they have no mama. Bantams seem to feather faster, however, they are much smaller and seem to feel the chills more than LF chicks of the same age. My adult hens will try to kill chicks, especially the non-broody types I own. It's a dicey proposition putting two week old chicks in with an adult hen, JMHO. Hate to be cold water, but just be careful here. See this chick? He has no body feathers at all and he'll be 4 weeks old this week. They hunch up cold and want to go under mama when the wind blows in the 60's.

Exactly. Here is one of mine and there is no way they can be out yet. Their little feet get cold just being out of the brooder for a few minutes. Cute chicks by the way.

 

[speckledhen]

Quote: Best of luck with your situation. Sometimes you just have to go with your gut and be observant when you make changes.

 

[Mrs. K]

I do apologize, I think that they do need more feathers than that, for some reason when I read your post, I was thinking they were much bigger than that. And I have not raised brooder chicks in a long time, I have been fortunate to have a broody hen, and she raised them in a coop/run at -20 degrees, no kidding.

Mrs K