Building 2nd stage coop:)

[DonnaAnn]

Ok, well im new at raising chickens! So far I have a total of 26 baby chicks, 6 Black Australorps,12 Rhode Island Reds and 8 Golden Comets. Right now the Rhode Island Reds and Golden Comets are about 3 weeks old, while the Black Australorps are about a week and a half old. Right now they are in a 4'x30"x30" coop I built.

I was wondering how big the second stage coop should be? As I was building the 2nd coop,it looks a little big... right now it is 8'x4'x4', I am making it out of 8'x4' USB sheets. The coop their in now is getting way to small for the chicks but I don't want to make it too big to where they are going to get cold at night. I have a 250 watt heat bulb in the little coop and the temperature ranges about 75-85 degrees during the day and about 70 degrees at night. I think the bigger coop might be to cold for them.. Im not sure.

Right now im also in the middle of building the outside coop with a run, which is going to be 12'x14' and the run size..not too sure on that yet. lol

So my question is...how big should the 2nd stage coop be??



Thanks Donna

 

[midget_farms]

Welcome to the board - I'm sure we can help with your questions.

I just moved my 26 chicks out to the outside coop last weekend. Before that I had them in a 5ft x 5ft 'brooder' inside the garage.

Your 4x8 should work just fine until they are about 8 weeks old. Maybe a little less because you have larger breeds.

Your outside coop size is more than enough for 26 - I have an 8x10 with a 25ft x 25ft run. Works great but If I had the money the run would be twice as big.

With them all in there together I am tempted to let them free range - which isn't a good idea when they are this small.

 

[DonnaAnn]

Thanks.
One more question... I want to the chickens so I can get the eggs. So obviously, I have to seperate the hens and roosters in the coop right? I was thinking of spliting the coop in half and the run, will this be okay or do the roosters have to be out of site with the hens?
Also, I was wondering , will the roosters fight more because they are three different breeds in one area or will they be okay?

I think I should of started out with less chickens haha A little confusing for me haha

Thanks Donna

I

 

[write2caroline]

No need to separate during the night - they breed during the day and sleep at night.
Caroline

 

[write2caroline]

They will lay eggs with or without a rooster and the eggs are edible fertile or not. They taste the same. There is no fear of eating a chicken embryo unless you started incubating the eggs or a broody hen has started sitting on the eggs.

Think of it this way. Momma Chicken cannot be chasing chicks who are 12 days apart in age and developement so in their little ingenius wiring. They will lay eggs for a while and none of the eggs start to develope until mamma is ready to sit upon them for 21 days. That way the little chicks are all in the same about place developmentally and momma can care for them.

Caroline