Issues adjusting to new coop

[BDutch]

MY RIR JUST LAID HER EGG IN THE NESTING BOX!!! Hurray! Let's hope the others figure it out too

Good news. Congrats!

 

[BDutch]

I just "added to and rearranged" my coop and my barred rock Cookie complained all day for 2 days during the addition and build. I moved the nesting box about 10 feet to the right into a huge enclosure. 2 used it in the new spot and one of my RIR hens is laying below the roosting bar.
I changed everything because my goldendoodle is acting out and bothering my 4 girls ALOT.( My 49 yr old son had open heart surgery on Nov22 so he takes a lot of my time) We caught her twice with a RIRs head and neck in her mouth slobbering on her and trying to carry her. The hen was fine both times but Im done worrying about it. Now she can't get to any of them but I feel bad having to confine them so.
I bought a 13 ft by 9ft enclosure and added it to my existing coop. The hens have the whole side of my house and their 8x5ft coop (that they are locked in safely every night)plus the enclosure. I also have 2 new chicks...a RIR and a Delaware white that are being introduced slowly.You can see the large enclosure on the left..the new roof edition on the right. The original coop is to the left and the orange towel was replaced with plywood and a doorway was cut at the bottom by the coop door for them to have access to the enclosure. Its not totally finished but it is safe for them to be in.

Good solutions for your problem.
I would never recommend a mixed flock with different characters.
If your hens are all of the same breed there are not often issues with behaviour.

 

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

Good solutions for your problem.
I would never recommend a mixed flock with different characters.
If your hens are all of the same breed there are not often issues with behaviour.

Wow, I had no idea this was a thing. So people who have all one breed don't have many behavior problems? I for some reason have trouble believing that, but I also have no experience with it since I have only had a mixed flock. What breed do you keep?

 

[StinkyAcres]

Wow, I had no idea this was a thing. So people who have all one breed don't have many behavior problems? I for some reason have trouble believing that, but I also have no experience with it since I have only had a mixed flock. What breed do you keep?

I have trouble believing that as well. My Easter Eggers pick on other Easter Eggers.

 

[aart]

So people who have all one breed don't have many behavior problems?

Not true.

 

[BDutch]

Wow, I had no idea this was a thing. So people who have all one breed don't have many behavior problems? I for some reason have trouble believing that, but I also have no experience with it since I have only had a mixed flock. What breed do you keep?

I think its easier to have one breed or a few with similar friendly characters. Of course there are always individual differences. But I have come across stories and problems of other BYC members with different breeds more often.

Like its not a good idea to mix bantam silkies with game birds. The size and the complete different characters don’t mix. And its better to make two coops and runs if you have such different chickens.

There’s always a minor or bigger problem when adding new chickens in an established flock. With broodies there are less problems integrating.

I started with only Dutch for the first 3 years. Glad I did as a newbie with chickens. Then added another breed (Tournaisis) with a broody and fertile eggs. Three eggs where successfully hatched by my Dutch. The cockerel from that hatch fertilised eggs next spring, and I kept one mix pullet from 5 chicks. The others were all cockerels , and I was happy I found a good home for them bc I can’t keep roosters where I live.
I made a mistake and disturbed the harmony by giving all the cockerels away. The pullet was alone after that and the other hens started to bully her.

Two years ago I had two broodies and bought bantam RIR eggs. Because I wanted a couple of chickens that lay in winter. Also hatched by my Dutch.
Chicks raised with a broody have less problems integrating and learn behaviour from the broodie / flock.

Last summer I added a single older hen (Dutch too) from someone who had only one hen left and couldn’t keep her. This caused some disturbance too. After a week most of the arguing was over.

As you can read I dont have much experience with integrating chickens. But I always found it interesting to read about chicken behaviour and learned a lot reading about someone elses problems on that matter.

 

[Granny23]

Good solutions for your problem.
I would never recommend a mixed flock with different characters.
If your hens are all of the same breed there are not often issues with behaviour.

I have trouble believing that as well. My Easter Eggers pick on other Easter Eggers.

I have 4 adult hens ..handraised in the house. A barred rock and a buff Orpington were our first 2. They were 2 weeks old. About 3 weeks later we added 2 RIRs, also raised in the house. The buff Orpington is the one that gets picked on.
Now I will be gradually adding our newest chicks which are a RIR and a Delaware white, which brings me to ask a question.
Im in So. Calif. Its been chilly in the early AM...In the low 40s. The chicks are good sized, 2 weeks apart in age so Mildred,the DW is approx 10 weeks and Tooter, the RIR is 8-9 weeks. Is it too cold for them to stay outside in the coop or should I wait another few weeks?

 

[Granny23]

Sorry to hear your dog was messing with your chickens! Glad you got things in order though. It looks good. I personally would maybe cover half of the run with a tarp though, just so they can still be outside when it's raining or snowing, and have some shade in the summer.

Also, your Barred Rock sounds just about as sassy as mine! Maybe they all just have attitudes! Lol. Mine just complains to me all day, no matter what.

Thanks. Its working out pretty well except my doodle is enchanted with the 2 chicks because they make that adorable peep peep sound and she wants so badly to touch them!!! So she runs around the 2 sides accessible to her which scares the babies.
Fortunately she isn't a killer but she still drives me batty sometimes.
This enclosure is nice but it is SO time consuming to wire it and zip tie it!!!

 

[Granny23]

Good news. Congrats!

Most days Im getting 3 eggs a day still

 

[rosemarythyme]

Its been chilly in the early AM...In the low 40s. The chicks are good sized, 2 weeks apart in age so Mildred,the DW is approx 10 weeks and Tooter, the RIR is 8-9 weeks. Is it too cold for them to stay outside in the coop or should I wait another few weeks?

I have 4 week old chicks out without any heat in temperatures like that. No reason your younger birds shouldn't be out in the coop in what is moderate temperatures for a chicken.