What makes a chicken coop easy to live with?

[bouldercroft]

I lost Tikka over the holidays (kidney disease)...and without her the looks very empty with just Korma and Josie the bantam.

 

We have a vacation planned for early February so we'll wait until after then but I'm looking for advice on how to add new to the

 

When I see them cuddled up at night it looks like there is plenty of room for maybe 2 more hens - or is that too crowded?

I'm planning a WIR for the spring so I'm just worried about space in the

[percy049]

we too, have just lost a hen, and are thinking about getting two new ones in the spring. there should be enough room for 4 chickens in a and a .

i think we shall put the new ones in the WIR to get used to it, and have our current chickens on the other side of the fence so they see eachother; then put them together just before bed.

[chickyhazel]

You can fit 4 chickens easily in a , especially if one is a bantam. For introductions, take things slowly. When we introduced ours with only a , we split the run in half with garden canes. That way the new chickens could see the old chickens, but the old chickens couldn't peck them. The new ones lived in a cat carrier with wooden eglu roosting bars in inside a 2m bit of run for a week or 2, and the old ones lived in the and 2ms of run, and were allowed out to free range via the egg port!It works for me, but you do need 4ms of run (thats the standard run with 2 extensions)

[bouldercroft]

who knew that chickens could generate so much worrying and planning...

I'm sure I'm over-analyzing everything too much

 

thanks for the advice - now I can start thinking about what types of chickens to add...

[bouldercroft]

Which of these ladies would you add to your flock and why?

 

Partridge Rock

Black Giant

Golden Laced Wyandotte

Silver Laced Wyandotte

[Space Chick]

I wouldn't add the giant - too large

Don't know much about the partridge rock

But either wyandotte sounds great - maybe one of each? They are lovely natured birds are wyandottes, although they are prone to broodiness, but not as persistent as some breeds like Silkies

 

I have a gold laced wyandotte and am hoping to add a barred Wyandotte in the not too distant future

[Mollie333]

Gold laced, because i have a gold laced boy, and another silver laced girl, they are lovely natured.

[helen1962]

Hi All

 

i think I would go for the silver laced wyandotte as I have seen them and they are gorgeous! I have just two hens in my 18ft by 8ft WIR and plan to get two more hens next Spring but I am hoping to get Wendy my fat Light sussex to incubate eggs for me. I felt this way I might escape the usual bullying when new ones are introduced. I also love little chicks (I raised Wendy and Belinda my Black Rock from week old chicks and that was 100% successful. I did this with a dull emitter and an old hamster tank and an understanding OH who put up with them living in the lounge for the first few weeks!)

[Mollie333]

Good choice, but please have a home for cockerels before hatching.

[bouldercroft]

I wouldn't add the giant - too large

Don't know much about the partridge rock

But either wyandotte sounds great - maybe one of each? They are lovely natured birds are wyandottes, although they are prone to broodiness, but not as persistent as some breeds like Silkies

 

I have a gold laced wyandotte and am hoping to add a barred Wyandotte in the not too distant future

 

 

I'm going with the wyandotte's and maybe a hybrid. I think you're right on the Giant - but it would be hilarious to see a Giant and my bantam standing side-by-side

[chickyhazel]

Wyandottes are a good idea and please do get a hybrid they're lovely and so easy to look after

[jill the potter]

I would wait until you get your WIR. We found it quite easy to partition off half of the run and still let them see, and feed next to each other - it took about 5 weeks, but that was because they were only 10/11 week when we got the new girls and were not ready for layers pellets. I suppose the breed will depend on how many eggs you want. Not an expert, but I think you get more from a hybrid than a pure breed.