A Decision had to be made...

[mediazeal]

Most of you have been though a similar inner debate.

11 week old chicks out in the huge coop/run
7 week old chicks in huge box in my living room needing bedding to be changed out again.
hmmm
Do I buy more pellets and go another week or so, or so we be bold and move everyone to the coop? They are feathered out, nights are warm now...

So I covered a collapsable dog pen with hardware cloth and made an enclosure within the coop while the big kids were free ranging. I had to be creative for a top. It has some boards and hardware cloth and a kids pool covering it.

Then the big move came when the big kids got on the roost. Couple of trips with water and food, couple of trips with huge tupperware box, aka chicken taxi.

The big kids are fussing a bit and the little kids are huddled up but eating and drinking.

I pointed one of the night lights at them.

Locked up the coop, dragged the brooder out of my living room (YIPPEE)

Wonder how nuts it will be in the coop in the morning. I'm sure there will be some fence jousting.

 

[Mahonri]

In three weeks you should be able to put them all together and they are young enough that the fights and pecking will only last for a few days.

 

[mediazeal]

Quote:
Ok, is this concern because of size mostly?
I have 3 Barnevelder Roosters out there that are going to their home on Sunday and 3 Golden Penciled Hamburg roosters I am still trying to place. But they are small.
New kids are 4 Golden Cuckoo Maran roosters that are same size or a little bigger than the hamburgs and 2 maran hens and 2 hamburg hens.
Only the 4 hens will have permanent residence.
I was hoping I could let them look at each other for a week and then since they will all be close to the same size and used to the coop, I could let them all out to free range and let them work it out.

Advice very welcome

 

[Mahonri]

That's a lot of roos to rehome. They really change the dynamic.

 

[mediazeal]

Quote:
They sure do. Can you believe it?
out of 18 chickens hatched, 13 were roos.
1 died and I have 4 pullets.

2 barnies already rehomed
1 Golden Cuckoo already rehomed
3 barnies going to new home on Sunday
2 of the new baby golden Cuckoo roos have homes in a week or two

leaves me with 2 more Golden Cuckoos and the 3 Golden Penciled Hamburgs to place

I think before 3 weeks there will only be the girls left in there anyway. At least that's the hope.

And let me know if anyone wants a rooster or two
I'll ship, they are free to a real home.

 

[mediazeal]

Everybody looks good this morning.
Young kids glad of more room, Older Kids more interested in scratch.
The hamburg hens and one of the hamburg roosters seem very glad to see each other. They talked through the fence for awhile and how he has laid down right next to it and she is on the other side doing the same. They were hatched together and know each other, I just put the hens in with the younger ones awhile back so the 4 hens would get to know each other while they were little to make easier introductions.

Anyway, so far, so good.