When to introduce the Nesting Box?

[aart]

HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH CHICKENS OF ALL AGES AND SHUFFLE THEM AROUND

I integrate my new birds at 4-6 weeks old.
What's with your cap locks?

 

[Ridgerunner]

I HAVE 2 COOPS, ONE FOR MY LAYING CHICKENS AND ONE FOR THE TEENAGERS.....THE TEENAGERS ARE APPROACHING 15 WEEKS OLD, AND IN THEIR COOP I HAVE NOT OPENED THE NESTING BOXES, BECAUSE WHEN THEY REACH 18 WEEKS THE WILL TRANSITION TO THE LAYING CHICKEN COOP, BUT EVERYTHING I HAVE READ SAYS TO INTRODUCE THEM TO THE NESTING BOXES AT 15 WEEKS, BUT I AM AFRAID ONCE THEY GET USED TO SEEING THOSE NESTING BOXES , WILL THEY LAY EGGS IN THE LARGER COOP WITH THE ADULT CHICKENS,WHEN THE TEENAGERS MOVE OUT OF THE COOP, I HAVE SOME 6 WEEK OLD CHICKS READY TO MOVE IN.......HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH CHICKENS OF ALL AGES AND SHUFFLE THEM AROUND

My chicks are raised with the flock, either by a broody hen or in my brooder which is in the main coop. I have a main coop, a grow-out coop, and a shelter in the electric netting area that I sometimes use for a broody hen and her chicks. I mainly raise chickens for the meat and to play with genetics, eggs are a nice side benefit. My main laying/breeding flock is one rooster and 6 to 8 hens but during the summer I sometimes have over 50 chickens, most being raised to butcher age.

My broody hens hatch with the flock and often the chicks are raised with the flock in the main coop. No shuffling with them, they are in the main coop from day #1. But sometimes when the main coop is really crowded I put the broody and chicks in that shelter in the electric netting area to sleep at night. During the day they roam with the flock. On rare occasions the broody hen will move them to the main coop when she wants to take them to the roosts but usually she waits until she weans them and moves to the main coop by herself. The chicks continue to sleep in that shelter. When I make room in the main coop by butchering some of the older chicks, I move the chicks from the shelter into the main coop, usually around 12 weeks of age the way the timing works out but it could be earlier or a bit later, but my goal is 12 weeks. Since they have been raised with the flock and I have a large coop I generally have no issues. I do have a separate juvenile roost so they can sleep there instead of in my nests since the mature chickens often won't let them sleep on the main roosts.

My brooder-raised chicks are raised in my brooder in the coop. If the main coop is not crowded I open the brooder door at 5 weeks and walk away. That's it, integration is done. If the main coop is crowded I move them to my grow-out coop at five weeks. The grow-out coop and associated run is next to the main coop and main run so they ares still with the flock. Once those chicks are consistently sleeping inside the grow-out coop instead if trying to sleep in the run, usually around 8 weeks of age, I open the gate and let them roam with the main flock. They return to the grow-out coop to sleep, which reduces pressure on the main coop. I try to move the pullets into the main coop at 12 weeks. Depending in how crowded it is I might just move the pullets, I might move all pullets and cockerels.

Usually the pullets and cockerels all stay with the main flock until the cockerels are ready for butcher, usually around 5 months of age. Every few years the cockerels get so rowdy with the pullets I keep them isolated in that grow-out coop until butcher time. I have not noticed a correlation of pullet to cockerel ratio, just personalities of the individual cockerels. And sometimes when the main coop is getting too crowded I'll isolate a bunch of cockerels until butcher time just to free up room in the main coop.

My main goal is to have all the pullets in the main coop by 12 weeks so the older hens can educate them about laying. Because I have laying hens my nests remain open. Other than that I play it by ear, remaining flexible and adjust as conditions dictate. There are some general patterns but each year is still unique, depending on how many I hatch when and by what means and the personality of the individual chickens. Your goals, set-up, and circumstances are probably different to mine so you will probably have to do things differently.

 

[HAPPYCHICKENLADY17]

My chicks are raised with the flock, either by a broody hen or in my brooder which is in the main coop. I have a main coop, a grow-out coop, and a shelter in the electric netting area that I sometimes use for a broody hen and her chicks. I mainly raise chickens for the meat and to play with genetics, eggs are a nice side benefit. My main laying/breeding flock is one rooster and 6 to 8 hens but during the summer I sometimes have over 50 chickens, most being raised to butcher age.

My broody hens hatch with the flock and often the chicks are raised with the flock in the main coop. No shuffling with them, they are in the main coop from day #1. But sometimes when the main coop is really crowded I put the broody and chicks in that shelter in the electric netting area to sleep at night. During the day they roam with the flock. On rare occasions the broody hen will move them to the main coop when she wants to take them to the roosts but usually she waits until she weans them and moves to the main coop by herself. The chicks continue to sleep in that shelter. When I make room in the main coop by butchering some of the older chicks, I move the chicks from the shelter into the main coop, usually around 12 weeks of age the way the timing works out but it could be earlier or a bit later, but my goal is 12 weeks. Since they have been raised with the flock and I have a large coop I generally have no issues. I do have a separate juvenile roost so they can sleep there instead of in my nests since the mature chickens often won't let them sleep on the main roosts.

My brooder-raised chicks are raised in my brooder in the coop. If the main coop is not crowded I open the brooder door at 5 weeks and walk away. That's it, integration is done. If the main coop is crowded I move them to my grow-out coop at five weeks. The grow-out coop and associated run is next to the main coop and main run so they ares still with the flock. Once those chicks are consistently sleeping inside the grow-out coop instead if trying to sleep in the run, usually around 8 weeks of age, I open the gate and let them roam with the main flock. They return to the grow-out coop to sleep, which reduces pressure on the main coop. I try to move the pullets into the main coop at 12 weeks. Depending in how crowded it is I might just move the pullets, I might move all pullets and cockerels.

Usually the pullets and cockerels all stay with the main flock until the cockerels are ready for butcher, usually around 5 months of age. Every few years the cockerels get so rowdy with the pullets I keep them isolated in that grow-out coop until butcher time. I have not noticed a correlation of pullet to cockerel ratio, just personalities of the individual cockerels. And sometimes when the main coop is getting too crowded I'll isolate a bunch of cockerels until butcher time just to free up room in the main coop.

My main goal is to have all the pullets in the main coop by 12 weeks so the older hens can educate them about laying. Because I have laying hens my nests remain open. Other than that I play it by ear, remaining flexible and adjust as conditions dictate. There are some general patterns but each year is still unique, depending on how many I hatch when and by what means and the personality of the individual chickens. Your goals, set-up, and circumstances are probably different to mine so you will probably have to do things differently.

What about the feed situation...18 weeks and older have layer feed, and younger than 18 weeks still on starter grow????

 

[Ridgerunner]

What about the feed situation...18 weeks and older have layer feed, and younger than 18 weeks still on starter grow????

Good question. I feed all of them the same thing. If I have babies I might use Starter for a few weeks but normally I use a Grower and always offer oyster shell on the side. Some people use Flock Raiser or something else low calcium. The Starter or Grower contains everything the hens need to eat except the extra calcium for egg shells. The ones that need the extra calcium seem to know they need it and the ones that don't need the extra calcium for egg shells (chicks, roosters, non-laying hens) don't eat enough oyster shell to harm themselves.

 

[aart]

I feed all of them the same thing. If I have babies I might use Starter for a few weeks but normally I use a Grower and always offer oyster shell on the side. Some people use Flock Raiser or something else low calcium.

Same here.

 

[HAPPYCHICKENLADY17]

Good question. I feed all of them the same thing. If I have babies I might use Starter for a few weeks but normally I use a Grower and always offer oyster shell on the side. Some people use Flock Raiser or something else low calcium. The Starter or Grower contains everything the hens need to eat except the extra calcium for egg shells. The ones that need the extra calcium seem to know they need it and the ones that don't need the extra calcium for egg shells (chicks, roosters, non-laying hens) don't eat enough oyster shell to harm themselves.

i may try that flock raiser, thanks