When to move chicks to the coop?

[bethrich]

Hi Friends-

the last time I posted we had just celebrated the arrival of two new chicks, laid and hatched by one of my hens - the chicks are a cross between a bantam blue cochin father and aracauna mother. They are now 6 weeks old and have been rasied since about day 2 in a protected crate (and are beginning to try to crow in the morning...looks like I have 2 roosters ...but beautiful!) and I am wonderfing when I should stasrt introducing them to my flock of 9, which is now all hens, as the rooster dissapeared about 3 weeks ago.

Any thoughts?
thanks,
Beth

 

[keljonma]

Is the protected crate in an area where the rest of the flock can see and get acquainted with your new birds?

If not, if possible put it there. If they are there in sight for a few weeks, the move into the flock will be smoother.

When you are ready to integrate them into the flock, add them to the roosts at night. Our flock forages our acreage. So after the few weeks of 'separated but in the same space', we let the new birds out to forage before we let the rest of the flock out. It works for us.

 

[bethrich]

Thanks - I moved the crate out next to the coop run this morning and will do that for a couple of weeks - maybe even move the crate inside the coop during the evening.

Thanks for the suggestions
Beth

 

[chilisweet]

can you make a temporary run for the little ones next to your main run? That way your babies can run and play and still get used to the big girls.

That is what we plan to do. We have a very big dog house that has been converted to a coop with an attached, enclosed run. When my girls get big enough, off of the dog house they go!

I will try to get a picture tomorrow to show you what I mean.

~Caran