Adding new hens to my flock

[aart]

The outside area - with the roof- I would not make another coop, I would fence that as a run.

Ditto Dat!!

 

[Stephnrobby]

I

I'd really reconsider the heat lamp. Unless you're raising new chicks in a brooder in the coop, they definitely don't need it and it's more of a fire hazard than anything else. They can fall, the bulbs can shatter, someone recently even had a bird somehow get lodged into one. Chickens can tolerate below freezing temps without a problem as long as they have protection from wind and rain, which your coop looks like it handles without issue.

On the plus side you really do have coop space plenty for quite a good number of birds (most of us have nothing near as big, so we're jealous!) so even without adding a second coop like you're suggesting you should be able to grow your flock without the issues that many others face.

I'd adjust the roost too to be higher with rungs a little more separated but if you're satisfied with their current sleeping habits then that's not a huge deal to me.

I have turned heat lamp off since reading your advice.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I

I have turned heat lamp off since reading your advice.

Don't be surprised if the chickens seem confused or upset by the lamp being turned off. They don't like change, but they'll adjust to it in a few days.

 

[Stephnrobby]

Don't be surprised if the chickens seem confused or upset by the lamp being turned off. They don't like change, but they'll adjust to it in a few days.

It's not always on anyway so they're fine.

 

[Stephnrobby]

UHG...bad habit you may regret.
But you don't seem open to suggestions....so I'll move on.

They have been roosting on top the nesting boxes. And my gate up against wall to the left. I'm curious if I should move the nesting boxes down to ground since the babies will be hatching soon that's under my broody hen? Any advice on that?

 

[aart]

They have been roosting on top the nesting boxes. And my gate up against wall to the left. I'm curious if I should move the nesting boxes down to ground since the babies will be hatching soon that's under my broody hen? Any advice on that?

The top of nests is probably much more comfortable that the metal gate 'roosts'.
Put a sharply angled board(~45° or steeper) above nests, so they can't roost there.

I would be risky to move the broody at this point, you might break her broodiness.
Once the chicks start hatching I would put a piece of cage mesh in front of nest so chicks don't fall out.
But I would prepare a floor nest for her to move into once the chicks hatch.

 

[Stephnrobby]

The top of nests is probably much more comfortable that the metal gate 'roosts'.
Put a sharply angled board(~45° or steeper) above nests, so they can't roost there.

I would be risky to move the broody at this point, you might break her broodiness.
Once the chicks start hatching I would put a piece of cage mesh in front of nest so chicks don't fall out.
But I would prepare a floor nest for her to move into once the chicks hatch.

Thanks

 

[Mrs. K]

My broody hen always hatches in nests above the floor. When she wants, she gets all those balls of fluff down. Dropping about 3 feet with no damage or injury. Just before hatching, I give a broom out to the coop and put in fresh bedding. All my hens have created a nest on the floor, none of them where I thought would be best.

 

[Ridgerunner]

My broody hen always hatches in nests above the floor. When she wants, she gets all those balls of fluff down. Dropping about 3 feet with no damage or injury. Just before hatching, I give a broom out to the coop and put in fresh bedding. All my hens have created a nest on the floor, none of them where I thought would be best.

My experiences also.

 

[Ridgerunner]

The top of nests is probably much more comfortable that the metal gate 'roosts'.
Put a sharply angled board(~45° or steeper) above nests, so they can't roost there.

To me, the top of the nests look higher than the top of the gate. Chickens tend to sleep on the highest place possible. That would be my guess why they are sleeping up there.

Aart, what is the downside to them sleeping on top of the nests? They are not sleeping or pooping in the nests. I use the top of my nests as a dropping board under my juvenile roost.

Again a guess but if you put a sloped top over those roosts they will probably move down and sleep inside the nests. If you decide to put a sloped top so they cannot sleep on the top of the nests I'd suggest you put a roost higher than the top of the nests somewhere in the coop and train them to use that. If you integrate a lot more chickens in there I think additional higher roost space should go in anyway. Otherwise I think there is a pretty good chance the ones that can't fit up on top of the nests will sleep in the nests.

If you create a hollow space the chickens can't get to, you have created a perfect pace for Mommy Mouse to raise her family.

Personally I would not potentially create two problems, sleeping in the nests and a haven for Mommy Mouse, to solve a problem that I don't consider a problem.