What to do with new birds?

[AA Maple]

So I have 9 production reds that I've been raising up from day-old for the last couple months but I ran across a bigger farmer who orders 17 week old Comets. I got half a dozen of those for a very good price (I could not feed my chicks 17 weeks for less money I'm sure). Good looking birds and should start dropping eggs any time now, but they're very skittish.

My original 9 come when they're called and don't wander too far when I let them out of their tractor in the day. I'd love to let the new ones out but I'm worried if I'll be able to herd them in at night. They seem uninterested in treats from me and are generally slightly more antisocial than my Khaki Campbell ducks.

Any thoughts on what to do with factory raised birds being introduced to a flock that has free run of a large field in the daytime?

 

[Den in Penn]

I hope you have them separate still. You keep the newcomers in the coop/run for a while. That will imprint the coop as home. Then leave them out before sun set the first time. They won't go to far the first evening and should find their way back to the coop by themselves. While they are confined in the coop spend some time with them to get them used to you. They may not take to treats right away, but giving them will help.

 

[AA Maple]

I hope you have them separate still. You keep the newcomers in the coop/run for a while. That will imprint the coop as home. Then leave them out before sun set the first time. They won't go to far the first evening and should find their way back to the coop by themselves. While they are confined in the coop spend some time with them to get them used to you. They may not take to treats right away, but giving them will help.

At the moment I have 2 tractors with nesting boxes at the top, the younger birds who come when they're called roam free in daylight hours and stay in their own tractor, the new 6 are in theirs.

First time out in the evening sounds good. Should I be waiting days or weeks before they'll actually return consistently for me? I'd hate to have them just run away, or try to hide outside at night. I don't think there's much around for predators and there's plenty of spots for a clever bird to hide, but I'd just as soon not chance it and I do want them to know where "home" is so that I can predict where eggs will be laid.

 

[aart]

I'd wait at least a week.
Hopefully your tractor is of a good size and configuration for them to hang out comfortably.

Let the new birds get used to their new place and to you.
Walk near their tractor often, talking softly, moving slowly, bringing them foo and water.
Don't try to touch them, but toss them a very few treats often.

Feed your other birds treats nearby where the new ones can see.
They'll probably never be as friendly as your others.

 

[AA Maple]

I'd wait at least a week.
Hopefully your tractor is of a good size and configuration for them to hang out comfortably.

Let the new birds get used to their new place and to you.
Walk near their tractor often, talking softly, moving slowly, bringing them foo and water.
Don't try to touch them, but toss them a very few treats often.

Feed your other birds treats nearby where the new ones can see.
They'll probably never be as friendly as your others.

This seems like sound advice. I'll wager the tractor is far more space then they've had in their lives, though I only made them for if I have to go out of town for a day or two and for a place to lock them up at night. During the day I want everyone to have free reign of the yard to keep down the tics.

I've reduced their feed so I can re-fill a few times a day to give them the idea that their lives depend on my benevolence.

It's really a shame they won't be "friendly" since at the price of grain in this area, plus figuring in losses, time, shavings, etc. there's simply no way I can get a laying hen to 17 weeks old for 11$ DIY, so this is just a great/cheap source of hens who are just ready to lay. From what I'm told, even buying feed by the ton around here you can't raise them up 17 weeks for that price.

Thanks, all. I'm very much enjoying raising birds. I wish this area wasn't so saturated with eggs so I could turn a profit on going bigger. As it stands I'll be hard pressed selling at 2$ a dozen to some neighbors and friends enough to cover my feed costs.

 

[aart]

Quote: Great Idea!

I raised my chicks to POL for about $5 each last year....not sure what you are feeding or if you're keeping very close track of it all.
That's just feed cost, I don't calculate time, because the experience is priceless...or cost of facilities, that would just be heartbreaking.

 

[Amina]

What do you pay for a 50 pound bag of feed, Aart?

 

[aart]

What do you pay for a 50 pound bag of feed, Aart?

About 17 for 20% crumble and 13 for scratch grains.

 

[AA Maple]

Great Idea!

I raised my chicks to POL for about $5 each last year....not sure what you are feeding or if you're keeping very close track of it all.
That's just feed cost, I don't calculate time, because the experience is priceless...or cost of facilities, that would just be heartbreaking.

Figure 3$ per chick + 5$ in crumble (I can't believe that a pullet only eats 12 pounds of food in 4 months!) ... now what about shavings for 5 months? Light bill for 250W heat lamps in the brooder? What if you lose one to infant mortality, disease, or predator? That throws the cost up per surviving bird at 17 weeks. The guy I get them from has over 1000 layers and he says even buying grain by the ton he can't raise them from chicks as cheaply when all is said and done.

Mind you, I've enjoyed raising from day-old and I may go into some novelty breeds next spring to raise from chick, AND I enjoy how tame they are, but for best value for an egg laying bird, 11$ almost ready to go seems like a winner. Had I known of the option I'd have got twice as many ducks and just half a dozen of these from the start.

 

[aart]

Quote: I didn't need to use a 250W bulb......and I'm not in it for a profit but for real food.
Cost of power for incubation and brooding and bedding was minimal.
Egg sales cover feed costs, and most the bedding, for adult birds.