What makes a chicken coop easy to live with?

[Mrs T]

I had my 6 chicks sexed although they are now about 13/14 weeks old, but 4 turned out to be boys, luckly I have rehomed 3 of them and the remaining cockerel is going in a week or two to a really lovely new home, with lots of hens to run around with. But that only leaves me with two hens and I really wanted 3, I have ordered 2 black rocks from my local breeder as they said it would be best to take two rather than 1. I am worried about mixing my 2 girls with the new girls. The new girls will be ready at the end of the month they will be 18 weeks, mine will be a couple of weeks younger! will they be ok to add together in the one eglu?. Have not got the garden space to build more hen houses or have another eglu.

[Guest]

 

they will be fine - there will be a day or two of fighting, as they establish a pecking order, and it could be vicious, but eveything will settle down, and you should have a contented little flock!

[Mrs T]

Thank you, my girls are so sweet and very friendly as we have had them from day of hatch, really worried as I dont want to upset them. But I am looking forward to have a couple more.

[Kathy C]

I've not had personal experience Mrs T, but I have read on the forum about letting the two pairs see each other for a bit first with a barrier between. Then introducing the new ones when its roosting time, so they wake up together. I hope this helps.

 

Good luck

[Richard]

Hi

 

I have the original eglu run inside my big run. That way I can put any newcomers into the eglu run for the day, whilst the other girls get to know them. Then, as Kathy says, roosting time is a good time to put them together as they are pretty dopey then. A breeder told me that they don't remember a lot overnight and may even think the new arrival has been there for ages if they wake up and see them! However, judging by the way my girls remember some things, usually to do with food, I don't think that can be right!

 

Richard