Introducing new chicks/feed question

[Coralista]

In the PNW, there are warm summers and wet winters.

Current coop setup:

• 6' x 8' coop (48 sf) - poop board/roost, lots of ventilation. The poop board design is fantastic, with absolutely no moisture inside. If you are building a coop, go with this design.
• Run - 6' x 12' (72 sf)

We are extending the run by another 8', so the full run size will be 6' x 20' (120 sf).

We have five hens that are two years old; we want to get 6 more hens, targeting getting the new baby's week of June 5th.

We plan to have the babies inside until they have feathers, then transition them to under the poop board, screened/separated off but able to interact with our current hens.

My question is about feed; our older hens are eating layer feed.

The babies will be on the starter feed, but at 8-9 weeks old we want to integrate them into the main coop. I know it isn't good for young chicks to have layer feed; how do folks manage that? Or should I switch feeds? My feed has oyster shells in it, but I also offer a bowl of oyster shells just in case.

Two-year-old hen breads:

• Easter Eggers x 2
• Buff Orpington x 2
• Australorp x 1

Chicks I want to get:

• True Whiting Blue x 1
• True Whiting Green x 1
• Australorp x 2
• Speckled Sussex or Buff Orpington x 2

I work from home on Mondays and Fridays, so the girls' free range on those days and weekends.

 

[Squawkers]

In the PNW, there are warm summers and wet winters.

Current coop setup:

• 6' x 8' coop (48 sf) - poop board/roost, lots of ventilation. The poop board design is fantastic, with absolutely no moisture inside. If you are building a coop, go with this design.
• Run - 6' x 12' (72 sf)

We are extending the run by another 8', so the full run size will be 6' x 20' (120 sf).

We have five hens that are two years old; we want to get 6 more hens, targeting getting the new baby's week of June 5th.

We plan to have the babies inside until they have feathers, then transition them to under the poop board, screened/separated off but able to interact with our current hens.

My question is about feed; our older hens are eating layer feed.

The babies will be on the starter feed, but at 8-9 weeks old we want to integrate them into the main coop. I know it isn't good for young chicks to have layer feed; how do folks manage that? Or should I switch feeds? My feed has oyster shells in it, but I also offer a bowl of oyster shells just in case.

Two-year-old hen breads:

• Easter Eggers x 2
• Buff Orpington x 2
• Australorp x 1

Chicks I want to get:

• True Whiting Blue x 1
• True Whiting Green x 1
• Australorp x 2
• Speckled Sussex or Buff Orpington x 2

I work from home on Mondays and Fridays, so the girls' free range on those days and weekends.

I would feed everybody chick food and offer oyster shells separately. Unless you see the chicks gobbling the oyster shells down, I wouldn’t worry about it. I don’t think the chicks will mess with them.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I put all of them on the same low calcium feed and offer oyster shell on the side. The ones that need it for their eggshells should eat enough. The others might eat some but not enough to harm themselves.

Growing chicks, roosters, and non-laying hens still need some calcium but not as much as the hens that are laying eggs. Don't be surprised if the others eat a few bites of oyster shell.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Another suggestion, especially for June - plan on putting them out earlier. Sooner you begin integration the smoother it goes in my experience, as hens tolerate tiny chicks better than older pullets, and their small size is an advantage if you provide plenty of hiding spots in the run as well as safe zones via chick/panic doors, which only work up to around 8 weeks or so.

As far as the feed issue, simply feed everyone whatever the youngest birds eat - starter, all flock, etc. I have oyster shell always available for hens and the chicks don't do more than sample it.

 

[Squawkers]

Another suggestion, especially for June - plan on putting them out earlier. Sooner you begin integration the smoother it goes in my experience, as hens tolerate tiny chicks better than older pullets, and their small size is an advantage if you provide plenty of hiding spots in the run as well as safe zones via chick/panic doors, which only work up to around 8 weeks or so.

As far as the feed issue, simply feed everyone whatever the youngest birds eat - starter, all flock, etc. I have oyster shell always available for hens and the chicks don't do more than sample it.

That’s very interesting. You are not worried about the hens seriously hurting the chicks? I have some REALLY mean hens

 

[rosemarythyme]

That’s very interesting. You are not worried about the hens seriously hurting the chicks? I have some REALLY mean hens

There's always at least one bully, but I've integrated 3 batches of chicks now with see-but-no-touch beginning when the chicks are roughly 2-3 days old, and face to face contact starting at roughly 10-14 days old. After that the chicks spend their days with the hens.

My latest integration: https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...egrate-along-from-feed-store-to-coop.1617102/

 

[Squawkers]

There's always at least one bully, but I've integrated 3 batches of chicks now with see-but-no-touch beginning when the chicks are roughly 2-3 days old, and face to face contact starting at roughly 10-14 days old. After that the chicks spend their days with the hens.

View attachment 3836476

My latest integration: https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...egrate-along-from-feed-store-to-coop.1617102/

That’s crazy!! I would like to give that a try, but I’m kinda scared

 

[rosemarythyme]

That’s crazy!! I would like to give that a try, but I’m kinda scared

You do need to set up for it - plenty of obstacles, plus overall space, and multiple feeders - but it goes much smoother than you think, and is far less of a headache for me as brooding and integration is over in about a month. Most of the adults will simply ignore the chicks, and the quick, agile chicks learn to avoid hens that are more aggressive.

 

[Squawkers]

You do need to set up for it - plenty of obstacles, plus overall space, and multiple feeders - but it goes much smoother than you think, and is far less of a headache for me as brooding and integration is over in about a month. Most of the adults will simply ignore the chicks, and the quick, agile chicks learn to avoid hens that are more aggressive.

I let mine free range for most of the day. But when they are in their pen there is only about 15 square feet per bird, with no obstacles. Just big, square, and dirt. Do you think it would be fine to let the chicks around the hens while they are free ranging, then putting them somewhere separate when I lock them up?

 

[Squawkers]

I let mine free range for most of the day. But when they are in their pen there is only about 15 square feet per bird, with no obstacles. Just big, square, and dirt. Do you think it would be fine to let the chicks around the hens while they are free ranging, then putting them somewhere separate when I lock them up?

I looked at your link, and saw what you said about letting chicks free range with the older ones. That’s true. My chicks are usually extremely tame, but I don’t think I would want to risk it.