Young Chickens

M

marymary

New member
Joined
Jun 27, 2012
Messages
8
Reaction score
0
Hi

I have 3 hens and an additional 5 youn ones I bought from a lady who hatched them in an incubator, I have had them 9 weeks in a seperate house seperated from the original 3 . Can someone tell me when I can free range them with the others.

The new birds are 2 Jerseys and 2 Buffs one a cockerel and a light sussex.
 
I stick new young birds in the hen house after dark so they all wake up together and are let out together in the morning - they have always been fine, you will get the odd fight for a pecking order but it only lasts a couple of days at the very most!:D
 
I have 2 houses within the same coop are you advising they should be all put in together or can the new ones remain and just be in the garden together till bedtime.
 
I would keep them completely separate until the new ones are at point of lay. They can then switch to layers pellets from growers and will also be able to look after themselves. If they are in runs alongside for a few weeks introduction should be without incident. If they have a lot of space they could be introduced early but constantly under your supervision, because it is so easy for a young one to get injured in a squabble and all the seniors pick on it.
 
I am getting so nervous about them meeting, its so stressful the young birds still on chick crumb, none of the birds seem to like pellets a all, even the old ones are on layers mash.
They seem to thrive on it Should I use an anti peck spray , the jerseys are huge now and the buffs just the sussex who is small.
Sorry so many questions new to all this
 
I would not introduce birds younger than 16 weeks into an established group. And from experience- that is easier if the two "Family's" are in adjacent runs so that they can get used to each other a bit. Just bought 3 new hens today- 16 weeks and- and I have them in an adjacent run. Will be a couple of weeks before they are introduced to each other and that will be by putting the new birds into the old girls coop at night. There will be a few squabbles but only for a few days---I hope.

Mash or pellets and it does not matter which but there is less waste with pellets. And until the young birds are ready to lay- keep them on growers mash/pellets. Yet another reason to keep them in separate runs. If they are still on chick crumb then they sound too young. They will have to stand up for themselves when they are mixed so give them a chance. Was going to say "Fighting" chance but hopefully that will not be necessary.
 
Thank you so much for your reply, I was intending to keep seperate houses, must they all sleep together at night, not really in a position to have 2 seperate coops but the older girls go out in the garden firdt thing and lay eggs in an ajacent barn. Once they are out the young ones come out in to the coop, and same in reverse at night.
Seems to work ok the older girls see them and are in close proximity all day.
Just worry they will get picked on when they meet although perhaps the cockerel will show some leadership.
 
How old are the young ones now,Marymary? They should be gradually changed from chick crumb on to growers pellets between 8-10 weeks, and kept on growers until they are at least 18 weeks old. Layers feed has too much calcium in it, intended to help hens make eggshells, and an excess of this can affect the kidneys of growing birds. Growers pellets are fine until they are mature enough to stand up to the older birds confidently when they reach POL .
 
Is there a mash eqiuvelent og growers pellets, or is growers all in pellet form??
 
You get growers mash as well as pellets, from what I have read and my own experiences it seems chickens tend to prefer to eat mash but it does make a right old mess. I would say in my opinion that if your chickens are in a confined space then mash is a better bet and if they range then pellets are better. If you decide to convert them to pellets then they will get the hump and refuse to eat them for up to 36 hours, but don't give in and eventually they get hungry enough to eat them, they are just trying their luck to see if you are a soft touch. At the moment my growers are on mash and the big ones are on pellets
 
A lot depends on how much space you've got for the youngsters to be able to keep away from the older birds. The male should help in preventing too much bullying. You can try them out when you're there and see how it goes.
If you have plenty of space and the youngsters free range, don't get too hung up on feeding growers ration. Add a certain amount of mixed corn used to control them and no harm will come. Many of us go straight from chick crumb to layers as we feed mixed corn.
It does seem time for your young ones to come off chick crumb.
 
Thanks,
You are right they do get the right Hump if I give them pellets. Theod birds much prefer their food in Mash form too. I live in the sticks and all the local country people not to worry about them mixing in , They just let them get on with it.

I am intending to keep both houses as the new birds are large 2 giants and 2 Buffs plus a sussex so it makes sense.
 
I edited my last post as I had written breeders ration instead of growers.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Back
Top