This is a little long, sorry. Anyhow, I am five days in on moving (18) babies that are 11-13 weeks old from their grow-out coop into two separate coops. So, they are being split up. The eleven standards are being put into one coop with the two existing adults, and the seven bantams are being placed into another coop.
They have all been raised together, and all of the youngsters have been through the intro process with the adults, and they do fine together. They spend their entire days enclosed in a 12 x 24' run together. Oh, and both coops are within that single run.
Granted, we have just started the new routine, but it's been rather chaotic.
Days 1 and 2: I caught each chick and placed it into the coop it should be in.
Day 3: Bantams began putting themselves to bed in their coop, but the standard babies started following suit, into the bantam coop. I removed the three that had made it inside abs put them back out into the run. I closed up the bantam coop for the night so the standard girls would be forced to retire to their own coop. They were freaking out, flying into the windows and doors of the bantam coop (and crashing) trying to get inside. My son, his girlfriend, and I stood in front of the windows and front door so they couldn't see them. They all finally, one at a time, went into their big girl coop.
Day 4: I work almost until dark, so they had already put themselves away by the time I was home. My original two birds were camped out on t hff e tiny porch of the standard bird coop, abs about half of the standard babies were inside. The other half was inside the bantam coop again with the actual bantams. I again moved the standards out to the standard coop
Day 5: I got home late again, before it was super dark, but late enough they were all in bed, and all but one standard was inside the bantam coop again. There's was one lone girl in t by e standard coop with CJ and Blue (the adults). I picked each one out and put it in the right coop.
I should add that I dont want to lock them inside their respective coops because of the heat but also because both coops are raised off the ground, and they would have to go through introductions all over again.
Please tell me, am I fighting a losing battle? Is this separation of standards and bantams going to work? I need some advice.
They have all been raised together, and all of the youngsters have been through the intro process with the adults, and they do fine together. They spend their entire days enclosed in a 12 x 24' run together. Oh, and both coops are within that single run.
Granted, we have just started the new routine, but it's been rather chaotic.
Days 1 and 2: I caught each chick and placed it into the coop it should be in.
Day 3: Bantams began putting themselves to bed in their coop, but the standard babies started following suit, into the bantam coop. I removed the three that had made it inside abs put them back out into the run. I closed up the bantam coop for the night so the standard girls would be forced to retire to their own coop. They were freaking out, flying into the windows and doors of the bantam coop (and crashing) trying to get inside. My son, his girlfriend, and I stood in front of the windows and front door so they couldn't see them. They all finally, one at a time, went into their big girl coop.
Day 4: I work almost until dark, so they had already put themselves away by the time I was home. My original two birds were camped out on t hff e tiny porch of the standard bird coop, abs about half of the standard babies were inside. The other half was inside the bantam coop again with the actual bantams. I again moved the standards out to the standard coop
Day 5: I got home late again, before it was super dark, but late enough they were all in bed, and all but one standard was inside the bantam coop again. There's was one lone girl in t by e standard coop with CJ and Blue (the adults). I picked each one out and put it in the right coop.
I should add that I dont want to lock them inside their respective coops because of the heat but also because both coops are raised off the ground, and they would have to go through introductions all over again.
Please tell me, am I fighting a losing battle? Is this separation of standards and bantams going to work? I need some advice.
