2 Coops, 1 Run???

[madamwlf]

Is it okay to have 2 coops in one yard??? I have one large coop in my run but I'm afraid it isn't big enough for all of my girls and guys. My coop is rated for 12-15 standard chickens and has 6 nest boxes. I have 11 standard chickens and 6 bantams. We did build a small coop but it is no where near good enough to house them for the winter. So I was looking at getting another coop slightly smaller then my main coop and extending my chicken yard another 7 feet. Is it okay to have to coops in one run??? I pretty much have to groups of chickens. The first group sleeps in the large coop and the second group sleeps in the smaller one. The smaller one isn't big enough to house 5 bantams and 5 standards.

 

[PepsNick]

Only if both groups know eachother and get along

 

[madamwlf]

Both groups are actually in the same run. They spend the whole day together but sleep in separate coops. The small coop isn't big enough for the second group to spend the winter in and I'm not sure my large coop is big enough for everyone either. It's a 4X6 coop.

 

[PepsNick]

Try introducing them to both coops, or try to connect them?

 

[Ridgerunner]

If they are integrated already it should work. The potential problem I see is how do you get the group to sleep in the new coop? If you lock them in there for a few days to get them used to their new home, they may need to reestablish the pecking order when you do let them out again. You may need to physically take them from where they are roosting now and put them on the roosts in the new coop until they start going in there on their own. Maybe leave them locked in there for a few hours each morning to help them get used to it but not long enough to break up the current pecking order.

Don't be too surprised if, over time, they all try to sleep in the same coop anyway. Flock dynamics change over time. You may need to reeducate them.

 

[CoyoteMagic]

I was using what I called "The Compound" 1-10x20 run 2-5x10 runs. Big girls were in the coop with the 10x20. Put chicks in the 5x10 as they got bigger, opened the door between the 2 runs. Put next set of chicks in the second 5x10 run. As they got bigger opened the last door between all 3 runs. All are now intergrated but still sleep in their separate coops.