Day 281
Chickens get old. When they get old, they slow down with their production. Some even stop producing eggs altogether. Because they are primarily raised to lay eggs, some people opt to cull, or kill, birds no longer useful in the laying department. While we haven't gone down that road yet, we have tried to be proactive with our aging flock. This week, that meant adding ten new birds to the mix. We decided to pay a bit more and acquire ten ready to lay birds rather than go through the process of raising chicks While cheaper and cuter, we didn't feel we had the time to commit to that process.
Before they came, I fenced off a small portion of the chicken yard and added nesting boxes and roosting bars to the area primarily used as an outlet to the outside. Up to this point, we hadn't let birds stay overnight in this area because it is not nearly as fortified from potential threats as the actual coops. However, knowing we had to keep our new birds separated from the old girls for an introductory period, this felt least disruptive. A few days in, the new girls are slowly adjusting. We have had a few eggs laid and are getting them comfortable with us. We’ve provided veggie treats like carrots and peas and guided them to their nesting boxes and roosting bars. Based on recommendations from where we acquired them, we have kept them inside for now. Hopefully, they’ll get more used to their surroundings and better understand how to use the area we have provided them. Then, we can send them outside and let them explore a bit more.
To help with the chicken hierarchy, it will be important to let the birds interact visually before combining them physically. Ina few weeks, I will stealthily remove the outside fence so that the next day they will all have access to the entire area once again. When that happens, hopefully, the integration will go smoothly and we'll have a collection of happy, egg-laying ladies ready for a long, cold winter.
Raising cute and cuddly chicks is an adventure we hope to enjoy again come spring.
