Millie-Annie Posted August 11, 2013 Share Posted August 11, 2013 I have two ex-batts, Ivy and Mary. Yesterday Mary was off colour but today amazingly she seems fine. Yesterday I bought three 12 week old babies. A Cream Legbar and a Welsummer which are tiny and a 12 week old Orpington who is already bigger than the ex-batts. At the moment the ex-batts are in the big run, with access to the outdoor area and the newbies are in the small run. But the Orp is being a bit mean to the tiny ones. She keeps pecking them when they are eating and just being a bit pushy and they keep squeaking. So I was wondering about introducing the Orp to the ex-batts today, as much as anything because she needs more space I feel. She doesn't have a comb, so they can't peck that and I will get some anti peck spray on her first too. Then I will leave the tiny's in the small run, where the others can see them until they are a bit bigger because they look so small and vulnerable. How does that sound? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted August 11, 2013 Share Posted August 11, 2013 she's still to young to go in with the big girls plus the young ones need to be on growers till at least 18 weeks old. layers feed isn't right for young birds as it contains to much calcium and not enough protein. the new birds should really be kept in their new coop/run for about 2 weeks so they learn that that's home before they get to Free range but you might need to halve that time so that they have a time out of the run to have a break from each other this is best done about an hour before bedtime at first as it make putting them away a bit easier. then after another week or two let the big girls out with them for a short while at a time you might then get lucky and be able to merge the 2 groups at about 16 weeks old and put the big girls on growers for a short time or over winter if they've gone off lay by then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millie-Annie Posted August 11, 2013 Author Share Posted August 11, 2013 Thank you for that I have never had such youngsters before. Marigold was 18 weeks and Tallullah was fully grown and rescued from next door and obviously my ex-batts. The man we got them from didn't mention anything about food. We did buy some chick crumb on the way home as they looked too little for pellets. I will buy some growers pellets today for them. How long do they stay on growers for please? The Orp is being very mean to them, she pins them up in the corner and pecks them. We have put the ex batts in the garden to free range and given the newbies the run of both runs so they have more space. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
good_egg Posted August 11, 2013 Share Posted August 11, 2013 (edited) Keep them on growers til at least 18 weeks, but probably longer. Some people feed until they start to lay. I did until youngest was about 22 weeks and oldest 28 weeks then swapped. "Ooops, word censored!"ody had started laying but it was winter! Edited August 11, 2013 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted August 11, 2013 Share Posted August 11, 2013 Some advice here and here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millie-Annie Posted August 11, 2013 Author Share Posted August 11, 2013 Right so they now have growers pellets and the ex batts are having the chick crumb as a treat. Can the youngsters have treats? The other girls have mixed corn, porridge oats, sunflower seeds and mealworms. Can I give the youngsters any of these? Plus the overgrown feather dust, also known as Octavia the Orp, is bullying poor little Meva and Issey mercilessly. They keep squeaking and squawking. She chases them gets them into a corner and pecks them. Really regretting buying her at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 Mine are what everyone ate but had chicken crumb access all the time. They were hatched and had to feel mum knew best. They are bonny healthy adults. Now broody themselves. I kept it hem and mum apart until they were big enough that can nasty pin from a big girl wouldn't kill them and free ranging they were faster and more agile. By the time they were really big enough to go in the run with the big girl they ewere well accepted.I jjust never rush any introductions Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
