INTRODUCING NEW CHICKS
Moderators: KG Steve, Chantal, Tigger, peter
Can any of you chick lovers pass me any tips on introdcing new birds into a coop? I have two Sussex light 20 week old (I'm pretty sure they are both cockerels!) chicks from a hatch earlier this year. The mother has gone back into the main coop some time back but the newcomers have remained in the separate coop where they grew up. All chickens are free range during the day, but the new chicks are certainly not part of the main flock (all of 4 birds including the chicks' dad!). I really need to get the two chicks to take up residence in the main coop, but the rest do not like them one bit! I've tried putting them in there after all have settled down, but that is not always practical and I really need them to make their own way into said coop. Are there any tricks of the trade out there you can advise me on so that they don't get pecked to shreads while they get used to their new home. Ultimately I'll be finding new homes for them if they both turn out to be males, but in the meantime I'd like to get them back with the main flock. Any thoughts? Ta. Merry Christmas!
Hello Quatro
I would have thought that at 20 weeks or so these birds were able to look after themselves. Also as your flock is free-range they will have plenty of room to escape other birds as they find their place in the order of things. If you are still worried you could put them in a simple temporary wired enclosure where main flock is running so that all the birds have a chance to see each other during the day - then get them back into their own coop at night. After a few days they should mix in well though there will always be a few squabbles before they settle down.
If they are both cockerels it is more than likely that they will soon be having a go at each other and things can then get really serious!!!
John
I would have thought that at 20 weeks or so these birds were able to look after themselves. Also as your flock is free-range they will have plenty of room to escape other birds as they find their place in the order of things. If you are still worried you could put them in a simple temporary wired enclosure where main flock is running so that all the birds have a chance to see each other during the day - then get them back into their own coop at night. After a few days they should mix in well though there will always be a few squabbles before they settle down.
If they are both cockerels it is more than likely that they will soon be having a go at each other and things can then get really serious!!!
John
The Gods do not subtract from the allotted span of men’s lives, the hours spent fishing Assyrian tablet
What we observe is not nature itself, but nature exposed to our method of questioning Werner Heisenberg
I am a man and the world is my urinal
What we observe is not nature itself, but nature exposed to our method of questioning Werner Heisenberg
I am a man and the world is my urinal
I've got 2 young cocks with 2 young hens that my daughter hatched at school - 2 buff orpingtons - 2 Pekin Bantams. They've always been kept separately from my main flock of about 20 which is ruled over by a Light Sussex Cockerel, basically because I didn't want cockerel fights and because I was hoping they would go to a new home! The other day they all wandered into the main enclosure, which only really keeps the LS cock in. The LS cock squared up to them; the Buff oprington backed right off but the little Pekin Bantam squared up to a cock twice or more his size with his ruff enlarged and his head in fighting mode! He's actually beautiful at the moment with white feathers and a black ruff. If there are any takers for the Pekin Bantams they are free for collection - near Oakham, Rutland. The hen is POL and the cock DOES crow!