MarlaMac
Songster
My current flock consists of Black Australorps only. 14 laying hens, 1 rooster and 23 day old single hatch 
being raised by my broody momma who set on 12 eggs.
On 6/5 I am picking up 6 Blue Australorp pullets (
). I am growing more suspicious by the day that our little single hatch baby is a little cockerel. I know 23 day is way early, but with each day, I am seeing a bit more comb and wattles that are boyish looking. I hope I am wrong and would gladly welcome another pullet.
My question is, if it is a boy what are the odds of having 2 roosters occupying the same coop space (sort of)? I could train the new roo and his hens to stay to one section while our current flock occupies the larger space.
I also think that 2-3 of our current hens would gravitate to the new rooster as they do not particularly like our current rooster. If three did this, then we would have 2 roosters - 1 with 11 girls and the other with 9 girls.
Our coop has 2 sections - one section that is 8x12, walk in with approximately 28 linear feet of roosting space on 3 levels - the other is 4x6 with approximately 9 linear feet of roosting space on 1 level. We also plan to add another section that is 4x8 with approximately 16 linear feet of roosting space this summer. All the laying boxes (6 - with room under to add 4 more) on in the walk in coop.
The run is only 12x8, but it literally is simply a covered area where they can go to get out of bad weather. It is also where they gather in the morning to be let out and where they wind down in the evening.
They are never locked in the run and the free range all day - sun up to sun down. We live on 60 acres and the chickens go where they want all day long. This is usually under/around their pick of several motts of trees and our front and rear decks.
I think this is doable, but I would love to hear opinions and experiences - the good, the bad and the ugly.
Thanks!
Here a picture of our single hatch. I am leaning boy.
being raised by my broody momma who set on 12 eggs.On 6/5 I am picking up 6 Blue Australorp pullets (
). I am growing more suspicious by the day that our little single hatch baby is a little cockerel. I know 23 day is way early, but with each day, I am seeing a bit more comb and wattles that are boyish looking. I hope I am wrong and would gladly welcome another pullet.My question is, if it is a boy what are the odds of having 2 roosters occupying the same coop space (sort of)? I could train the new roo and his hens to stay to one section while our current flock occupies the larger space.
I also think that 2-3 of our current hens would gravitate to the new rooster as they do not particularly like our current rooster. If three did this, then we would have 2 roosters - 1 with 11 girls and the other with 9 girls.
Our coop has 2 sections - one section that is 8x12, walk in with approximately 28 linear feet of roosting space on 3 levels - the other is 4x6 with approximately 9 linear feet of roosting space on 1 level. We also plan to add another section that is 4x8 with approximately 16 linear feet of roosting space this summer. All the laying boxes (6 - with room under to add 4 more) on in the walk in coop.
The run is only 12x8, but it literally is simply a covered area where they can go to get out of bad weather. It is also where they gather in the morning to be let out and where they wind down in the evening.
They are never locked in the run and the free range all day - sun up to sun down. We live on 60 acres and the chickens go where they want all day long. This is usually under/around their pick of several motts of trees and our front and rear decks.
I think this is doable, but I would love to hear opinions and experiences - the good, the bad and the ugly.
Thanks!
Here a picture of our single hatch. I am leaning boy.
