gayle
Spring Chicken
Posts: 79
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Post by gayle on Jul 14, 2011 10:42:22 GMT -6
Hello you seasoned chicksters. I am wanting to add a couple Silver Laced Wyandottes to my RIR and Barred Rocks. They are only one and half months old. The RIR and Barred Rocks are 3 months old. Any suggestions? I was thinking about putting a small pen in the larger one and keeping them separate but, in the same pen for a while? You got any ideas? I would love to hear them.
Gayle
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allie
Junior Member
Posts: 206
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Post by allie on Jul 14, 2011 14:02:00 GMT -6
If you find some SL Wyandottes let me know. We are looking for some more.
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Post by Timbo on Jul 14, 2011 22:23:20 GMT -6
Thats a good start Gayle. I would do that for a week and then turn them loose with the rest . But keep a close eye on them and watch for signs of picking. hang lettuce from the roof in the pen from a string at head height for the older ones to pick at to keep them occupied until they get use to each other.
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gayle
Spring Chicken
Posts: 79
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Post by gayle on Jul 14, 2011 23:04:41 GMT -6
Okay Timbo that sounds interesting. I have never heard that before. I will give it a try.
Allie, A friend is giving me a couple. The only place I know for you to maybe get some is at the Shelby County 4-H chicken auction. The kids have to donate 5 chickens back to raise money for 4-H. If you would like some more info let me know. I have no clue how much these chickens auction off for. The two breeds they had this year are the Sliver Laced and Black Australorps. Don't know what the other counties raised.
Thanks for the info, Gayle
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Post by gardendaddy on Jul 15, 2011 11:04:30 GMT -6
I added my spring chicks to a portion of the chicken house and used some of that 1" green plastic fencing and used those zip ties (electrical ties) to hold it in place then they could get used to each other in the same location then at about 12 wks old I removed the plastic fencing and let them worry about the rest of it. It worked GREAT. There was little to no pecking...but a bunch of little ones scurrying out of the bigger birds way till now they are roosting and eating and making their own way with year old hens...all is well here at the Urban Farm!
Mike
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Post by chowdownsilkiefarm on Jul 15, 2011 13:49:33 GMT -6
A couple years ago when I had large fowl, I had a horrible time integrating younger birds in with the older ones. It was a nightmare actually. The ony way it would work is if I added at least the same amount of younger ones. Any less and it was havoc. I tried putting the younger ones in a separate pen in the coop with the older ones, I sectioned off an area in the coop, letting them free range together then at night put the younger ones in a separate pen. Nothing worked except for adding the same amount or more of the younger ones. That way there where too many for them to chase around and attack.
With the silkies and sizzles I can add week old chicks of amy breed in with the silkies and/or sizzles and they don't bother the young ones. Every now and again a hen will peck at a passing chick but no harm is done. They ony disadvantage I have found with the smaller birds are their egg size. It takes alot more eggs to make breakfast. lol. I hardly ever eat their eggs anyway. I'll make deviled eggs or pickle them.
And Silkies are very broody, they don't eat as much, they're friendly and cuddly.
I do have a black orphington roo and finally hatched out him some girlfriends just for our own egg use as food for ourselves. The girls are still way too young just yet. Actually, they're in the sizzle pen till they get big enough to be with the orph roo.
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gayle
Spring Chicken
Posts: 79
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Post by gayle on Jul 15, 2011 22:49:38 GMT -6
Lost of interesting advise. Keep it coming if anyone else has some thoughts. Thanks All ! Gayle
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