Moving everyone around....

It is hard to believe that the Easter Eggers have already been here a month!  We decided to let them out to free-range with all the other chickens for a few days, but leaving the door open to the little coop so they could decide which coop to go into at night.  There were a few small scuffles, but the candy bar girls stayed on the outskirts of the flock, close to the coop so they could run and hide if they needed to. 











For the first 3 days they continued to go into the little coop at night to roost.  On the fourth day, I let them out and shut the little coop door so they couldn't get back in there.  At dark, they went into the big coop with everyone else! Carmello, tends to go inside very early and makes sure that she gets prime roosting spots!




 Now that they have been with the other chickens for a few days, they are settling in very well.  They are still a little skittish and stay on the outskirts, but they don't run for their lives anymore!  They also tend to stay near the coop rather than free-ranging all over the yard like the others do. Everyday they venture a little farther away, so hopefully soon they will enjoy the whole yard with the rest of the flock!









The day after I shut the Easter eggers out of the little coop, I moved the three Marans chicks into it and took the dog crate and the heat lamp out of the big coop.  This gives them more room, and also makes the big coop less cluttered! It opens up the nest boxes in the big coop so that the new layers can get to them and we won't have eggs laid everywhere.  I am thinking that with this young trio, I have 2 pullets and a cockerel.... I was really hoping for 3 pullets, so I am a little disappointed.  I will probably try to hatch some more of the Black Copper Marans next year after these girls start to lay!