Author Topic: Mixing young chicks with the laying flock. (Read 3051 times)

mentalmilly · « **on:** July 13, 2014, 09:59:03 am »

What is the best time to put my 12 week old marans with the layer. 2 keep hoping the fence and running with them but l was wondering about food. Now at the moment they are on growers pellets but if l open the gate and let them mix the hens will eat the growers and the chicks will eat the growers and layers. I assume the layers will not be on the most suitable food for laying eggs. they are a nice bunch and bullying is almost non existent so am not worried about the chicks. They will be point of lay in 4 weeks anyway. Does anyone mix young with older birds and how do you work out the feed? Wish they could read then l could put a notice on the food pots telling them what they can have. $:-\$ They dont take any notice of me anyway. Any info please. Wondered if it will harm the chicks if they eat layers pellets now.

bloomer · « **Reply #1 on:** July 13, 2014, 10:11:50 am »

According to everyone on here I do it wrong my broodies have a run within the bigger run the layers are in, by 4 weeks my broody had her chicks in the main flock all the time, by 6 weeks they had moved into the main chook house by choice, I feed some pellet but mainly mixed grain and they all eat that! At the moment the whole lot are getting growers (more youngsters than layers currently) once this bag is empty they will all be on layers my youngest chicks will be 10/11 weeks by then.

I find thew whole flock sticks together and protects all the little ones, maybe when the flock gets bigger I'll have to rethink but for now its efficient and works for me!

mentalmilly · « **Reply #2 on:** July 13, 2014, 10:39:21 am »

Thanks bloomer that makes sense to me. Going to open the gate now. All this high tec feeding gets so confusing if you let it.

Womble · « **Reply #3 on:** July 13, 2014, 10:50:54 am »

In my experience it's less of an issue (usually no issue at all) if the youngsters are with a broody, since she will guide and protect them. However, for chicks I've reared 'artificially', I'll keep them separate and on growers until they're POL.

I believe there are issues with the calcium and protein contents of the different feeds (I'm sure somebody more experienced will be along in a minute to advise!).

One thing I do know is that if I just leave a broody to get on with it as part of the main flock, if I put down chick crumbs she will not always guide her young to them. This means they often get eaten by the others before she gets the chance, and I'm sure you've seen the price of chick crumbs! Also although the chicks get there in the end and probably with a more natural diet, they definitely grow far slower than those reared in a shed with ad lib feed.

HTH!

ponylady · « **Reply #4 on:** July 13, 2014, 04:32:11 pm »

I bought 3 POLs a couple of weeks ago, and most of my girls were fine with them straight away, but a couple really hated them. I kept them separated using some plastic fencing. I knew the time was right to put them together when 2 of the POLs flew up onto their coop roof, looked at each other and simultaneously flew in with the big girls ......

mentalmilly · « **Reply #5 on:** July 13, 2014, 04:40:55 pm »

I have let them all in together but they have a lot of space to move out of any hens way if they want. A young boy who started to crow at 10 weeks tried to sort out one of the younger hens but was soon put right by the older boss hen and now he knows better. Serves him right. No bullying at all now. Time will tell if l did the right thing.