HenriettaPizzaNolan
Raising Layers and Meat Birds in the City
Hello. We used to have a crappy prefab coop, but just upgraded to a nice walk-in coop for our small flock. But right now, we're having a ton of issues. First, I'll summarize my flock and then I'll just list the problems. We have 2 adult hens. 1 RIR and 1 Barred Rock. The BR is the top of the pecking order, and the RIR has always been at the bottom, even when we had 4 hens. We got 2 chicks in September (Salmon Faverolles and Australorp) and they have been outside full-time with the other two hens for about 3 weeks now.
Now for the issues:
1. Everyone hates the nesting boxes. Idk if it's the design or what, but no one will use them. I have a few golf balls in there and just ordered some wooden eggs. The nest boxes in the old coop were very enclosed, whereas these are more like trays that are only a few inches deep. Could this be the issue?
2. A few days ago (and only a few days after getting the new coop) we took in a hen from someone who can't have chickens on their property and needs someone to keep the hen until the spring when they can move. I figured we have the space to why not. Well, both of my hens are intimidating her. She laid in the nesting box twice, and now she keeps trying to go behind the old coop to lay because I think she is afraid of being cornered in the new coop by my mean hens.
3. The 2 babies were sleeping on their mini roost I built for them the first few nights, but now they insist on sleeping in the nesting boxes. The temporary hen has also started sleeping there with them.
4. Just general nastiness/aggressiveness from my RIR and BR toward the babies and the temp hen.
If anyone has any suggestions for why these problems are happening, please let me know. It's causing me a lot of stress to see them walking around stressed not knowing where to lay. And also to see the babies and the temporary hen have to deal with the other two being so mean.
Now for the issues:
1. Everyone hates the nesting boxes. Idk if it's the design or what, but no one will use them. I have a few golf balls in there and just ordered some wooden eggs. The nest boxes in the old coop were very enclosed, whereas these are more like trays that are only a few inches deep. Could this be the issue?
2. A few days ago (and only a few days after getting the new coop) we took in a hen from someone who can't have chickens on their property and needs someone to keep the hen until the spring when they can move. I figured we have the space to why not. Well, both of my hens are intimidating her. She laid in the nesting box twice, and now she keeps trying to go behind the old coop to lay because I think she is afraid of being cornered in the new coop by my mean hens.
3. The 2 babies were sleeping on their mini roost I built for them the first few nights, but now they insist on sleeping in the nesting boxes. The temporary hen has also started sleeping there with them.
4. Just general nastiness/aggressiveness from my RIR and BR toward the babies and the temp hen.
If anyone has any suggestions for why these problems are happening, please let me know. It's causing me a lot of stress to see them walking around stressed not knowing where to lay. And also to see the babies and the temporary hen have to deal with the other two being so mean.
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