Tour My 4 Chicken Coops & See How to Introduce New Chicks to the Flock!

We've been raising chickens for 10 years and it's time to do a GRAND tour of my 4 coops! We have our main coop, a chicken tractor for teenage layer chicks, a chicken tractor for meat chickens, and a double brooder for baby chicks. Come check them out! I'll also share my best tips for introducing new chicks to an adult flock, and how to manage broody hens. Let's go!
ITEMS REFERENCED IN THIS VIDEO:
-Brooder Waterer: geni.us/AmazonBrooderWaterer
-Brooder Heat Plate: geni.us/AmazonBrooderHeatPlate
-Brooder LED Light: geni.us/AmazonLEDBrooderLight
-Chicken Tractor Grit Cup: geni.us/AmazonSmallCoopCup
-Raising Pastured Meat Chickens Course : learn.thehomesteadingrd.com/m...
*Get 10% OFF with my code homegrown10
-No Dig Skirts Tutorial: thehomesteadingrd.com/predato...
-Bell Waterer for Meat Chicken Tractor: geni.us/AmazonBellWaterer
-Main Coop Grit Cup: geni.us/AmazonLargeCoopCup
-Heated Dog Bowls: geni.us/AmazonHeatedDogBowl
-Chickcozy Automatic Door (5% off!): chickcozy.com/thehomesteadingrd
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- • How to Convert a Shed ...
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Courses - learn.thehomesteadingrd.com/
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TIMESTAMPS
00:00 - Intro
00:52 - Chick Brooder
5:23 - Chicken Tractor for Layers
12:02 - Chicken Tractor for Broilers
16:55 - Main Coop
25:51 - Integrating the Chicks
27:45 - Final thoughts

[@ryanwendinger2776]

You could have maybe moved the few new breed buff layer chicks in with one of the broody hens to have them raise them up the rest of the way. Just a thought, always love seeing chicks with a mama teaching them!

[@thehomesteadingrd]

That would have worked when they were a day old, but they were 2-3 weeks old here so the broody hens wouldn’t have taken them 😕. If these hens were broody 2-3 weeks ago, I absolutely would have done it!

[@vladimirpopovic8136]

Great setup for birds

[@thehomesteadingrd]

Thank you! So far, so good!

[@tsilbaugh5314]

Awesome tour!!!

[@cwobidongojohn3050]

I can't wait to subscribe thank you for sharing.

[@thehomesteadingrd]

Thanks for subbing!

[@evelynrogers7145]

All looks great

[@thehomesteadingrd]

Thank you!

[@patrickheavirland3599]

Good morning from Forest lake Minnesota! Great episode Katie!!

[@thehomesteadingrd]

Good morning!! Thank you!!

[@stormmountain2521]

Great video I learned something every time I watch you.

[@thehomesteadingrd]

Glad to hear it! ☺️

[@carolynmoody9460]

Oh my goodness your video popped up an I was SOOOO impressed I had to subscribe❤❤❤ 🕊️

[@thehomesteadingrd]

Yay! Thank you!

[@tory464]

❤️👍Great stuff!

[@thehomesteadingrd]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@raincoast9010]

The portable coop is great!

[@thehomesteadingrd]

Thank you!

[@sonchickenfarm]

thanksThat's so great

[@thehomesteadingrd]

Glad to hear it was helpful!

[@sonchickenfarm]

@@thehomesteadingrd That's right. Please share more, my dear

[@Farmphasianidae]

Kadnaknakt you mean in the beginning of the video the breed?

[@nangalvin789]

We just purchased the predator deterrent eyes! So far so good!

[@thehomesteadingrd]

Hooray!! They are awesome!!

[@Mypplz]

Thanks for this! Are you worried about condensation from the metal roof in the winter?

[@thehomesteadingrd]

It hasn’t been an issue! We had the same roof at the poultry palace too

[@carolfutch8534]

Hello.. love your channel! I'm sorry if new to residing chickens ( ive only raised my chick babies for 1yr) o never knew that i could wean my chicks from the lamp. Do you have a video on that process? Can you wean them from the heat lamp anytime if the year? Thank you so much in advance!

[@thehomesteadingrd]

Great question! For layers, you start reducing the heat weekly until they are fully feathered (usually 6 weeks), then you can turn it off completely

[@raincoast9010]

Every carnivore likes to eat chickens: foxes, coyotes , raccoons, wolves, bobcats and on and on!

[@Legendaryrichelieu]

Omnivores aswell.

[@cindylarade]

Great video!!! Question....if you have more than 1 hen hatch chicks, do you keep them together? I had a hen hatch 2 chicks. 3 weeks later, another hen hatched 3 chicks. The 1st hen & 2 chicks are now with the rest of the flock. But when I try to let the last hen with her 3 chicks out with the flock, the 1st momma goes after and pecks on the 2nd momma. I don't know why?! They are in the same run, separated by an enclosure, so they always see each other.. I'd like to slowly get them all together, but maybe it's still too soon. The 1st chicks are 5 weeks old and the 2nd ones are 2 weeks old. Hopefully they all get use to each other eventually. So much easier when they all live together!

[@thehomesteadingrd]

The mamas can be pretty protective of their chicks. I’ve been able to keep them together, but only if there’s plenty of space and each mama has her own dedicated feeder and waterer. They definitely keep to their own “area.”

[@TheEssentialRanchersLife]

Great video. Thanks for all the tips. I have a question about the red rangers. I was advised to get Cornish cross meat chickens because they taste better than the red rangers. Have you noticed a big difference in taste?? I would like to get away from the Cornish cross.

[@thehomesteadingrd]

Oh gosh - I couldn’t disagree with that more!! The rangers have far superior taste, texture, color and nutrition compared to the bland and lifeless Cornish cross. Definitely give them a try and enjoy chicken that actually tastes like chicken! 🫶🏼

[@TheEssentialRanchersLife]

@@thehomesteadingrd thanks for the response. I did get 3 red rangers this year to try out. Frankly the Cornish cross creep me out because of how fast they grow.

[@thehomesteadingrd]

@@TheEssentialRanchersLife Totally agree - they freak me out, too. I've never raised them and don't plan to.

[@janeyc9325]

I have 3 roosters that are just over 7 weeks old. Do I have to introduce them to the rest of my flock (1 roo and 7 hens) at night? Or can I put them together this afternoon so I can watch them? I also have an additional 7 chicks that are 3.5 weeks old. Should I wait a couple of weeks to throw them in with the rest? Currently everyone is outside in separate coops/runs but all can see each other. Thanks for a great video!

[@thehomesteadingrd]

I’ve done it both ways, but I feel like dusk is best. that way you can supervise for 30 min or so and then everyone goes to bed. Then, run back out at sunrise. I would wait on the 3.5 week olds. Good luck!

[@shannon3111]

Hi, do you use the automatic sunrise/sunset setting on your ChickCozy opener or do you use the timer? I’m having trouble with automatic opening with a covered run, not enough light for the sensor. Thanks!

[@thehomesteadingrd]

Great question! I don’t use the light sensor because, I agree, there’s not enough light because of the covered run. I use the manual time setting and just adjust it monthly based on daylight hours

[@shannon3111]

@@thehomesteadingrd thank you very much! I will try setting the time manually.

[@evelynrogers7145]

What breed of layers do you have?

[@thehomesteadingrd]

A have a lot of different breeds :)

[@joeblow9284]

Total newbie question, but do you need roosters for chickens to produce eggs? We want eggs, but hate being woken up by rooster throughout the night, lol.

[@thehomesteadingrd]

Great question! Nope, a hen will lay eggs without a rooster. The only difference is the eggs won’t be fertilized, so you won’t be able to hatch chicks from them.

[@joeblow9284]

@@thehomesteadingrd Ah, I see. So, food, but no future generations. Got it. Thanks!

[@Truongthikimcuong92]

❤❤❤❤❤ Hello beautiful girl 🖐️🖐️

[@Farmphasianidae]

They're black