Chicken bald back

[Goldie]

Hi people - I've got 4 hens at the moment and have caught the 'bug', so of course want some more. Trying to weigh up the pros and cons thought...so maybe you can help me out?

 

We have a large outside area (plus a lot of time free ranging) but a compact coop. It was sold as a 6 bird coop, but often all 4 sit on 1 perch so to me it could accommodate 8 at a stretch (although not looking at doubling our number).

 

I'd love to raise some day old chicks (rather than hatching eggs and having to buy the incubator etc). But I realise I could get males which is a no-no. Working on a 50/50 ratio, which I realise never happens in practise, I'd probably get 4 day-old chicks.

 

Now comes the laws of probability....If 2 out of 4 are hens then that's great. If 3 are hens, I can probably accommodate them. If 4 are hens I'd be a bit stuck for space, and if only 1 is a hen then I'd struggle to introduce her to my existing hens. Is this too much guess work?

 

What are the logistics of keeping day old chicks? I have an indoor rabbit cage I could set up with a heat lamp. How many weeks do they stay in here and do I have to have a spare coop ready for when they are in between stages? If we want POL in spring, they'd have to be hatching about Dec/Jan, is that right?

 

Is it all just not worth the faff, should I get 2 hens at POL come the spring??

 

Thanks for any input

[Egluntyne]

I wouldn't do it at this time of year. Having raised chicks indoors myself I can confirm that they make a heck of a mess with their dander. Also they will definitely need separate accommodation when they are ready to come off heat, as the other hens will kill them.

 

There is tons of info in the FAQ section and in the stickies.

[heth1986]

I bought some say old chicks last December... I bought Legbars so that I could be sure they were all females (have you thought about sexlinks at all?) I loved them to pieces, and it has been brilliant to watch them grow. Not to mention how tame they are, despite being such a flighty breed.

 

BUT. I had to raise them indoors and the smell was just awful. They can fling poo 3 times as far as you can imagine, their feathers get EVERYWHERE and the whole room gets covered in this yucky greasy dusty stuff. I do not want to even think about what this is, it took some cleaning.

 

Once yours are big enough to be outside, as egluntyne said, they would need separate accommodation for a while. Mine went in the shed / greenhouse thing I've got until they were mature and laying which was perfect.

 

I think there are definite pros and cons to raising your own, very rewarding but very smelly!

[Chickabee]

My silkie was about 3 weeks old when I got her and her quail friend. They stayed inside for a while, but it was summer so I could put them out in the sun. I used an old dog crate, the type you use for flying. Don't think I'd like to do it in winter

[Purplemaniacs]

I agree with Egluntyne, it is the wrong time of year, wait until the days are longer

 

I have done a couple of hatchings and it is a great experience but you do need to know what you would do with the boys whether you hatch or get chicks. Or go for a breed that you can sex early on.

 

Chrissie

[Goldie]

Hi - Thanks for all the input, I wasn't envisaging such a mess from the chicks whilst indoors, not sure I'd be able to cope! Think you've made my mind up...plus no worries about numbers of cockrels!

 

How come so many hens are available POL in April then if this isn't the best time to raise chicks?

[sjp]

hybrids mainly that are hatched and raised indoors by big hatcheries for commercial laying flocks all year around most of which don't see the light of day until they are about 16 weeks old if they are lucky

[Redwing]

For the small scale breeder it costs about three times as much to raise chicks (properly) over winter than in the normal hatching season

 

They dont grow as well without good lighting and lots of food as well as the heat. In the summer they get more natural light and more hours to eat

 

Anyone selling POL pure breed pullets in the spring will have had to bear the costs and therefore the birds will be at a premium if you manage to find any and choice will be limited. most hobby breeders dont hatch between June and Feb/March. Be aware that serial hatchers will often hatch all year round but not give the chicks any extra attention thinking that winter is no different so be prepared to ask a few questions as you dont want undersized unthrifty stock

 

Hybrids are raised on an industrial scale and available all year round though

 

If you buy chicks you can try and source autosexing ones or sex linked hybrids. They would be ok in a shed or garage provided they get about 20 hours of light and consistent heating

 

If you cant buy guaranteed females then rehoming cockerels is very hard indeed say nothing of the noise they will make till you can rehome them

 

If you dont want hybrids then I would either look now while pure breed breeders have some left knocking around or look from April onwards and get 8 week olds (a nice age as they will be past major dangers by then and also likely to be sexed)