Had two now one...

[Ted Brown]

I got 2 of 12 hatch, now 4 weeks, lost one chick overnight. I have an enclosure in my coop; main flock of 25+ & 8 in their 5th month.

I assume best to proceed with planned integration to coop & run? Anything to ease the single chicks existence?

 

[Sally PB]

I've never done a single chick introduction, but have read it can be difficult. Good luck, and let us know how it goes.

 

[Ted Brown]

I moved the single chick to my in-coop brooder space last Friday, seemed frantic. Saturday it had escaped and no body found in brooder nor coop. Sunday I am cleaning and hear squeaks from the run and see the chick escaping other grown hens. Captured easily and returned to, now more secure, brooder space. Showed good spirit while among the flock.

This chick is last survivor of an attempt to import more coloured egg layers from our west coast.

 

[Folly's place]

Sad, but definitely a survivor! I've never tried to integrate one chick either, so no first hand experience.
Can you get a couple of chicks about the same age? It's the wrong time of year, so probably difficult though.
Or, integrate this chick with only one or two birds in your flock, then later with everyone. Having it right there in the coop will make things as easy as possible, but still challenging.
Mary

 

[Ted Brown]

Here is Sol

 

[Ted Brown]

@Folly's place

Mary, are your Chantecler hens laying or slow these days?

I am getting almost none but have a group of June hatches that should start by Christmas.

 

[Folly's place]

Me too! Usually we have the light on a timer 3am to 8am, from October on to spring. This year, it didn't get set up until recently, so really poor production from everyone.
One or two of our bantam EEs, hatched late May, are starting to lay, but nothing much from anyone else.
Mary

 

[Ted Brown]

I have electricity in the coop&run and have the bits to add red light on a manual timer. I will add, experiment.

 

[Ted Brown]

I have not yet plugged the last brooder opening so Sol escapes every day and is hanging out in the run. I figure it will toughen it up.

Problem is not yet finding it's way back inside the coop. Net? Me into the run and under the coop after dark to move it back to brooder with food & water.

 

[aart]

I have electricity in the coop&run and have the bits to add red light on a manual timer. I will add, experiment.

If it's for winter laying, best to use white light.
What is a manual timer?