The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: It-needed-a-home on April 21, 2011, 09:48:15 am
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my new chicks will be arriving at the end of the month and wonder if i can just let them get on i have chickens duck and geese all together and they are alll happy but just wondered if i should seperate them for a certain time ??
never done it naturally before!!
:chook: :chook: :&> :&> :cat: :cat: :chook: :chook:
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are they hardened enough to go outside? if so use a a-frame or similar for a few weeks. its usually about 10 weeks old when we let them out, and its the cats we have to watch as the youngsters move quickly at first like wild birds and the cats cant help themselves. very sad to find them dead after raising for so long.
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I'd keep them in for a bit - they are very vulnerable when small - cats, birds of prey, crows and magpies.
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I'd keep them in for a bit - they are very vulnerable when small - cats, birds of prey, crows and magpies.
Absolutely also weasels, rats, dogs, foxes, anything passing loves a chick. The mother will do her best but they will be picked off one by one. We usually wait until they have at least got their full feathers, but even then I prefer to keep them under cover of some kind - usually in my polytunnel destroying the veggies ::) until they are about half adult size We have even had rats digging under the coop to grab ducklings from beneath - hence the terriers we now have so no rats come near, but we also make sure the floor of any coop has fine mesh chicken wire covering it.
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Mine are out from as soon as mum see's fit, the option is there after all the chicks that are going to hatch have hatched and fluffed up.
I do however check on them every hour or so and make sure everything is allright.
My two chicks at them moment are rnning with hens, ducks and rabbits with no problems.
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mine were always kept in a secure run with mum for at least a month. Sparrowhawks .... :chook: :&>