What to do with new birds?

[AA Maple]

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.

I'm just saying if you actually added up what it costs you to get a chick up to 17 weeks it's likely more than you think. You are fortunate that you can sell eggs in your area. The going rate around here is 2$ a dozen on the side of the road and I've seen them for less.

 

[Den in Penn]

To keep them close to the tractor you could put up a temporary fence for a week or two. Yep the egg market is different from place to place.

 

[AA Maple]

So on the "evening" advice I opened up their pen and immediately the smaller 9 swarmed their food dish (same food they're getting but I guess the grass looks greener). They quickly sorted out who was boss with a few pecks and sqwaks and now are happily exploring the yard.

Hopefully the "tame" ones will teach the new ones how to take treats and the new ones will teach the others to eat grass and such. The new ones seem particularly fond of picking at green things while the others could take or leave it preferring treats.

Oddly enough none of them will touch a slug (of which I have an abundance) and my ducks aren't tame enough to follow me up from the stream so I can point them out to them.

Wish me luck getting these girls corralled up for the night.