Integration of the 15 week old Pullets
What a significant day! Not only for the arrival of the future egg layers but the date itself. I have 3 children born on the 16th of different months and one born on the 6th but only because he chose to arrive early. I’m not surprised that this date is was meant to be when adding more life to our family.
Adding 15 week old Pullets to our flock may sound easy but it’s not. They will arrive by USPS this morning, we will unbox them and make sure they all have water immediately. Food will be second and the food will be crucial to keeping them healthy enough, developing correctly to become pro egg layers in a few short weeks. It’s a lot of hands on work and it will take both of us to make it work since Mike will be building their new play area at the same time.
The importance of water:
Clean water is imperative to keep your chickens healthy. Daily water checks are a must. Plain water is good BUT fortified water is healthier and a great way to protect your fur babies by boosting their immune systems with Apple Cider Vinegar which also helps to prevent lice, worms, mites and even balances their PH! We also put in probiotics and a dash of oregano. Oregano is a natural antimicrobial/antibacterial ingredient. When fed to chickens, it also boosts the immune system while helping to ward off salmonellae, Avian Flu, even infectious bronchitis. When the oregano grows in the garden, I just throw some into the coop. When it’s not, we substitute oregano oil or dried. We refresh these fortifiers every time the water is changed. Please make sure your waterers are clean with any dirt in the outside drinking trough swished out daily. New water should be made a couple times a week, your babies will love you!
The importance of Proper Feed and Schedule:
Today we need to have a mixture of 20% layer feed and 80% starter feed. This feed is what is necessary when raising chicken from birth. Crumble NOT pellets is VERY important as they have a hard time eating and digesting pellets. We will feed the flock this mixture of food for one week. It’s important to know that this feed mixture can be eaten by Turtle with no problems what-so-ever. HOWEVER, chicken’s under the age of 18 weeks CAN NOT eat Turtles full layer feed yet. We use unmedicated starter and layer crumble. Non-GMO.
Layer feed for young Pullets can cause damage to their reproductive organs as well a cause kidney damage. We don’t want that. We want super healthy, strong egg laying hens so we slowly feed them in progressive steps. You flock needs to have access to food and water at all times, so if they aren’t free ranging, make sure the waterers are full as is the feeders.
This is what the food transition will look like using feed that is crumble:
Week 1: 20% layer feed/80% starter feed no treats, scratch, grit or oyster shells Week 2: 40% layer feed/60% starter feed no treats, scratch, grit or oyster shells Week 3: 60% layer feed/40% starter feed no treats, scratch, grit or oyster shells Week 4: 80% layer feed/20% starter feed no treats, scratch, grit but oyster shells okay in a separate container placed away from food. Week 5: 100% layer feed with access to oyster shells in a separate container, located away from their main food source. The now 19-20 week old Pullets find the oyster shells and eat them as needed.
RECOMMENDED ‘Do Not’s’
Please, please, please, if you feed your chickens pellets, grind them up or reconsider your choice of food. Pellets make digestion difficult. Feeding your flock crumble will eliminate the need for grit as they will be able to digest their food easily.
PLEASE DON’T feed your babies SCRATCH as their main source of food for these reasons:
Decreases egg production
Causes a protein deficiency
Encourages selective eating - they can see all the grains and pick and choose what they eat causing #2.
Chickens become deficient in essential vitamins and minerals which equals fewer eggs.
With these imbalances comes health issues that the goodness in the water will not prevent.
You don’t want to end up with FREELOADING chickens, do you???
Introducing and Integrations of the old and new flock:
Slow and steady is really going to be key. We don’t want Turtle to get traumatized in the introduction process as this has been their personal living space since this past summer when Peep Peep passed.
They will have to spent some time in the space below the nesting coop. The area is closed in, yet has room to road, play and watch the new flock discover and explore. 3 of the new ones look exactly like her so that will help the transition A LOT. 4 are lighter in color but body wise are exactly like Rhode Island Reds. They are Buff Orpington’s. Once the new flock is watered and fed, we will get Turtle out to see how they react to the newbies. Turtle is spoiled rotten so this will be interesting. Our savings grace may be that Turtle adores Mike so he will do the handling of her as I introduce each newbie to her. Wish us luck!
We just received the phone call that the ladies have arrived at the post office so we are off and running! If you have any questions about chickens, raising them, etc, please let me know in the comment section below. This is our 6th year as backyard farmers who had little knowledge of what we were doing in the beginning! We are happy to share our knowledge about chickens, their needed environment, safety and equipment needed for a healthy flock.
UPDATE ON INTRODUCTIONS AND INTEGRATION:
Picked up the ladies and they were happy to be out of their travel boxes. The Heritage farm shipped the girls perfectly and with love. They had apples to keep them hydrated and fed during their trip from Montana and they had shavings underneath them to be comfortable. The boxes were also tall enough for them to stretch their legs if need be.
We got them home and introduced them into the main aviary to meet Turtle who was in a pen under their laying quarters. They were curious about each other as we unpacked them one at a time. Cooing and chattering began through the chicken wire with Turtle clearly wanting out from “behind bars.”
We had one little escapee who flew directly out of the box and straight out the main door to her short lived freedom. She loved spreading her wings and just exploring with Mike close behind. He gently retrieved the little darling and returned her to the safety of the aviary to get her bearings and land legs.
Turtle has shown her dominance a few times but nothing more than saying, “My space, My rules.” All but two littles are willing to just let T do her thing and not make waves. NONE are scared of her. The two littles that stand up for themselves are clearly strong warrior women. I mean ‘Chicks.’ The Rhode Island Red shall be named Lady Peck Peck and the Blond Buff Orpington shall be named Emma Thompshen.
As the day carries on, the littles and Turtle have switched places for a bit. Mike needs to begin their play area so separating them is necessary. I’m finishing this blog and heading back out there to pick names for the rest of the babies. Here’s to a magical day, y’all!!
Love, Light and Peace
