Adding chicks

[rosemarythyme]

I also do early integration, where chicks are brooded in view of the flock and then start coming out for face to face interaction between 10-14 days with the goal of being "finished" at around 4-5 weeks. I've done this for the last 3 batches of chicks and it's far easier for me and the flock.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/short-on-time-recycle-a-prefab-brooder.73985/

After the chicks are in the coop with the hens and the rooster, can the big ones eat the chick starter until the little ones are 18 weeks? I normally feed my big ones all flock with oyster shell on the side for the hens.

Feed the whole group what the youngest ones are eating. Or in this case, since you normally use all flock, as long as its a crumble or micro pellets, the chicks should be fine on that as well. Kind of up to your preference.

 

[HJMimi]

To me a huge question is how much room do you have in the coop and in the run? If you have 4 square feet in the coop and 10 in the run per chicken you are more likely to have issues than if you have a lot more. The more room you have the easier this is. I have an 8ft x 12 ft coop and over 2,000 square feet available outside and the weather that the outside space is basically always available. Like you, my brooder is in the coop. That starts the process. I generally open the brooder door at 5 weeks of age and walk away. With 5 weeks of look-but-don't-touch and all that room five weeks is plenty for me. The "safe haven" concept the others have mentioned is a good way to add to the safety factor, especially if room is tighter.


You can either feed all of them the chick starter or the All-Flock with oyster shell on the side as you mentioned or even from the start. If you look at the analysis there is not much difference between all-flock and starter. For baby chicks I'd want the All-Flock to be crumbles, not pellets.

I have a 6 x 20 coop and a 20 x 30 run with only 2 hens and a rooster in it. Thank you so much for your input. I will begin with the chick starter while they are in the brooder. When all of that has been eaten I can switch back to the all flock for everybody. Now to just get those chicks here !

 

[HJMimi]

I also do early integration, where chicks are brooded in view of the flock and then start coming out for face to face interaction between 10-14 days with the goal of being "finished" at around 4-5 weeks. I've done this for the last 3 batches of chicks and it's far easier for me and the flock.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/short-on-time-recycle-a-prefab-brooder.73985/

Feed the whole group what the youngest ones are eating. Or in this case, since you normally use all flock, as long as it’s a crumble or micro pellets, the chicks should be fine on that as well. Kind of up to your preference.

Thank you. I have the crumble of the chick starter and the crumble of the all flock. Mine only like th crumble and not the pellets.