How Old Do Babies Have to Be to Be Put in With Your Flock
Keeping a backyard craven coop is a fantastic manner to ensure your family always has succulent fresh eggs on hand. And if your household's demand for eggs is on the rise for i reason or another—growing kids, more mouths to feed, or mayhap even a new poly peptide-rich diet—you may be because calculation more than chickens to your coop. Only it's not quite as simple as picking upward some baby chicks and leaving them to fend for themselves alongside your hens. Your new chicks must be introduced properly to avoid being bullied—or worse. Give your new chicks the best chance of successfully integrating into the flock with these useful tips.
How many chicks should I bring home?
It's generally advisable to introduce at least iii baby chicks at a time to the older hens. Chickens are flock animals, and tend to practice ameliorate in groups with other birds of a similar age. If you bring home whatsoever less than three chicks and i of them doesn't brand it, you lot'll be left with a lonely little chick, which can lead to a number of problems. Chickens are social creatures, and babe chicks do meliorate in a flock when they aid each other and abound up together.
When purchasing baby chicks, it's recommended to match the newcomers to your current flock. Choosing a mix of breeds is more than successful when you lot already have an assortment of breeds. However, if your flock is primarily one breed, yous'll want to stick with the same brood when purchasing new baby chicks then they'll exist more accepting of the newcomers.
The numbers matter besides. Add at to the lowest degree three baby chicks when you're looking to grow your flock. There'south power in numbers; consider adding an equal amount of babe chicks to the current number of chickens. For instance, if you lot have 5 hens, you may want to add together 5 baby chicks to remainder the numbers equally and better your chances for successfully integrating the newcomers into your flock.
Another important note: make sure yous have acceptable infinite in your coop for all new additions. It's important to avoid crowding your birds—ensure every chicken in your flock has at least two square feet of within living space away from the elements where they tin (literally) spread their wings. You can learn more about how to raise chickens hither.
WHEN CAN I INTRODUCE THE NEW CHICKS TO THE FLOCK?
Baby chicks must exist raised on their own to an absolute minimum age of six weeks old earlier beingness introduced to the rest of your flock. If possible, wait until your pullets (young, non-laying hens) are 8-12 weeks quondam before making the introduction.
Chickens are extremely territorial, and will often injure or fifty-fifty kill newcomers if an introduction isn't washed properly. Keep in mind that every flock has its own personality when it comes to accommodating new members—fifty-fifty chickens that are gentle with human handlers may exist ruthless when it comes to bullying newbies (after all, the phrase "pecking order" exists for a reason.) In some cases, the older hens will intimidate new infant chicks so badly that they'll stop trying to eat and drink
HOW TO SAFELY INTRODUCE YOUR NEW CHICKS
The proficient news is that at that place are several steps you can take to make sure the introduction goes smoothly:
- Introduce three or more new chicks to the flock at a fourth dimension—they'll be able to support each other and will hopefully prevent the older chickens from chirapsia up on whatever of them too much.
- A gradual introduction is a good idea—put your immature pullets in a pet carrier or enclosure on the other side of the contend and so the older chickens tin become used to the sight and olfactory property of them, which ofttimes makes the transition much easier for all.
- When it's time to put the new pullets in the same coop every bit your older hens, consider a stealth later-nighttime operation. If you innovate the newbies later your older hens have bedded down for the dark, their presence in the morning won't come every bit such a daze.
You may also want to consider putting your older hens in a 2d enclosure for a few hours and so the younger chickens can find the nutrient and water without being chased off and intimidated. Doing this a couple of hours a solar day for a few days can make the transition easier when it's time for them to all live together.
To give your newcomers some refuge, consider adding some escape routes for the notwithstanding-developing pullets. An like shooting fish in a barrel, economical solution is to identify cardboard boxes in the coop, with cutouts small plenty for a younger hen to escape, but as well big for your older hens to fit through. Giving the newbies a identify to get abroad from the bullying can help them stay healthy and confident until the older hens get acclimated to having them around.
Overall, proceed an eye on things until all your chickens are used to living together. Equally your baby chicks grow and brainstorm to lay eggs, they'll become more than integrated with the older hens. The flock volition be happy again, and the egg production will show it.
Still accept questions about the best way to add new chicks to your flock? Stop past your local IFA Land Shop to assemble some noesis from our poultry and beast wellness experts—we've seen it all, and we're happy to help!
Data for this article was provided by Sandie Shupe, Poultry, Rabbit & Brute Wellness Manager, Ogden IFA Country Store; Maureen Goodrich, Poultry, Rabbit, Pet & Tack Manager, Logan IFA Land Store; and Jill Singleton, Bagged Feed Category Manager, IFA.
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Source: https://ifacountrystores.com/2020/chickens/introduce-new-chicks-to-flock/#:~:text=WHEN%20CAN%20I%20INTRODUCE%20THE,old%20before%20making%20the%20introduction.
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