Wire flooring ok for chicks?

[Debbie292d]

I've been using a big dog cage as a brooder for my chicks and just moved the whole thing into the coop with the older birds and I originally had the bottom of the dog cage in there but the chicks are very messy and I'm tired of cleaning it up. Is this fine for them? It will only be for a couple more months.

If they are four months old, why can't they just go in the coop?

I'd also be worried about bumblefoot if using wire, but apparently some do, and it doesn't cause issues.

 

[Corrisionworrision]

Some pine shavings at the bottom would make cleanup easy, all you'd have to do is dump the mess in the run. I would not have them on bare wire as it could damage their feet

ive tried doing bedding but they for some reason always knock into their water making it spill, so the next day its disgusting and gross and i dont have the time and money to be cleaning it every day

 

[Corrisionworrision]

If they are four months old, why can't they just go in the coop?

I'd also be worried about bumblefoot if using wire, but apparently some do, and it doesn't cause issues.

they are still too little, i have big hens and a big rooster and i dont want anyone getting hurt

 

[Corrisionworrision]

They should have been in the coop with the older birds 2 months ago. Is that all the space they'll have or are they going to be allowed out of the crate?

i heard you need to wait till they are the same size as the older birds no? they are only half the size of them. they have a small run outside i put them in and i have started letting them out with the older ones when im there.

 

[Debbie292d]

they are still too little, i have big hens and a big rooster and i dont want anyone getting hurt

Are they all the same breed or are these a smaller breed than what you have currently? It's supposed to work best when they're all the same size, but I'd think they should be by now unless different breeds.

We integrate silkies by 5 months, and they are slow developers.

 

[StinkyAcres]

they are still too little, i have big hens and a big rooster and i dont want anyone getting hurt

i heard you need to wait till they are the same size as the older birds no? they are only half the size of them. they have a small run outside i put them in and i have started letting them out with the older ones when im there.

Actually, they are not too little. I integrate at 6 weeks and some integrate even earlier. But now that they are older you might have a harder time integrating them with the hens and rooster. It should work out but it may take longer and there will be plenty of pecking (a little pecking is normal, but watch them closely). It's good that you are letting them out with the older ones now.

 

[Corrisionworrision]

Are they all the same breed or are these a smaller breed than what you have currently? It's supposed to work best when they're all the same size, but I'd think they should be by now unless different breeds.

We integrate silkies by 5 months, and they are slow developers.

they are all standard sized breeds. im not sure what is happening. i started them on a start/grower and when they hit 3 months i changed to an all flock feed maybe thats why they are small?

 

[StinkyAcres]

they are all standard sized breeds. im not sure what is happening. i started them on a start/grower and when they hit 3 months i changed to an all flock feed maybe thats why they are small?

Don't worry - that's normal. Four-months-olds are small compared to birds that are a year old +.

 

[StinkyAcres]

they are all standard sized breeds. im not sure what is happening. i started them on a start/grower and when they hit 3 months i changed to an all flock feed maybe thats why they are small?

This is how big my pullets were at about 3 months and 3 weeks. The White Rock is an adult and the rest are the pullets. Are yours smaller than this?

 

[AshVau22]

i heard you need to wait till they are the same size as the older birds no? they are only half the size of them. they have a small run outside i put them in and i have started letting them out with the older ones when im there.

You don't have to wait till they are the same size. If you have a good rooster he'll be your best asset. I begin my integration around 6-7 weeks old depending on temperature outside. I start with about a week in a large dog crate in the yard so everyone can meet them. Then they come back in at night. 2nd week is allowing them to run with the flock during the day and at night I move them to another dog crate inside the coop. This makes me feel better that no ones being beaten up before I get out in the morning to open the doors. Then after about a week I take out the crate kinda help the littles find a nice roost spot on the bottom for the night. My rooster are my guardian of the babies. They'll keep any hen from acting to aggressively towards them. They are also always the 1st to meet anyone new.