4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[beckib]

Hmmm. what to do? I've had two chooks for 18 months now, they live in their eglu and run but free range whenever there is someone at home.

 

I really would like more chickens to bring my flock to around six, i have my eye on a couple of breeds i like, my fist concern is will the integration be smooth, i dont want to upset my two girls as they are lovely characters. i know lots of people have done it, but how easy is it?

 

My next problem and probably the hardest is convincing my other half that we should have some more.....the next stage would be to convince him to build a run. I have seen the runs on here and they all look fantastic.

 

Any advice would be more than welcome:)

 

x

[Romany]

Well there are pros and cons of expanding your flock:

More eggs - and much more poo!

 

Seriously though, if you are going to have 6 then you will need a cube or second eglu (or wooden house). But then it is always handy to have additional seperate accommodation anyway (in case of illness, as a broody run, or for introducing new hens)

 

It probably won't be plain sailing... but at least you will be introducing a bigger number to a smaller established pair reducing the amount of picking on that may happen. You should try to keep your new hens seperate but in view of the old ones for a week or two, putting their feeders / drinkers as close as possible on the respective sides of their enclosures.

 

When you do put them in together, do it at bedtime when they are docile. Leave them in a few hours longer in the morning too to get acquainted in a clamer environment. Another tip is to rub each hen with garlic so they all smell the same.

 

6 hens will also trash your garden a lot more than 2, so be prepared for that. For this reason, you may end up keeping them in the run more than previously so make sure you build one big enough!

 

Good luck!

[Egluntyne]

Romany is right about the poo and the garden trashing. You can always confine them to a limited area with some Omlet netting though.

 

Articles about managing intros **here**.

[beckib]

sounds like good advice...my garden is big enough to cope with many more chooks and as i'm not much of a gardener theres not much to destroy so the garden isn't my first concern...cleaning them out is already a bit of a bind, but as it only takes 20 mins each week is not too much of a problem at mo'.

 

i suppose i will think about this i bit more and possibly reconsider...i also think about holidays and things, two chooks in an eglu is much easier to ship off to someone rather than get someone to come a chickensit:)

 

 

Thanks for your help:)

[Abbey Road Girl]

It's been said that two chickens bond as a pair and that could make it harder to introduce new hens.

 

On the other hand, if you lost one of your two, what then? I think that the accepted wisdom is to introduce fairly equal numbers.

 

Whatever you decide, the best of luck to you and them!