BYC Café

[OrganicFarmWife]

It's something like 12×12, I think. It would take another five, but I read that sometimes new hens aren't accepted. We were thinking that it might be alright if we just get more from the same original flock. We're just not sure because we already have more eggs than we can eat! Lol.

Oh it just takes a bit of planning. I introduce new birds all the time. The key to remember is chickens do not like new things, so keeping birds seperate until they are no new anymore helps alot.

 

[fivelittlehens]

Thanks for the advice. Niece may get her wish, lol. She has a list of names, just needs the chickens to match.

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

Lol and eggs are easy enough to get rid of. Give them to family, neighbors, friends, and if all else fails you feed the eggs back to your birds.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Yeah, I agree, DEFINITELY need more chickens lol

12×12 is 144 square feet so at 4 square feet per bird coop space you could fit.... 36 chickens

I probably wouldn't go more that 20 or 30 though but yeah.

Even if you don't get that many, which would be completely understandable cause that is a lot of birds, you definitely have tons of room to expand so I say do it

Also you don't necessarily have to get birds from the same flock, you could get some chicks and raise them next to the others. The coop is plenty big enough you could section off a nice size brooder and raise them alongside the others making for easy integration. Although of course you may not want or be ready for chicks yet, maybe next year though

Another thing to remember though too is that even if they are from the same flock originally, these 5 have now been separated from the flock for a month so they'll likely treat each other as completely new birds until pecking order is reestablished. So I wouldn't just get more and throw them together. I would still add a seperate integration section and let them live alongside each other for a couple weeks and then maybe supervised interactions just to make sure they all remember each other and will play nice. But your coop is massive so there should be minimal issues if any but I'd still take precautions. You can always then take down the divider later and go back to one big coop

And do you have a run? You should maybe consider building one or free ranging if you don't already, your coop is plenty big enough but chickens do like getting outside

Oh and welcome btw

 

[henny1129]

Welcome to BYC fivelittlehens! It's a great place!

 

[MissWiggles]

It's something like 12×12, I think. It would take another five, but I read that sometimes new hens aren't accepted. We were thinking that it might be alright if we just get more from the same original flock. We're just not sure because we already have more eggs than we can eat! Lol.

Welcome! The coffee is always on here. You can never have too many eggs, trust me. You just need to bake more. Stick around...you'll see.........

 

[Tumbling K]

Good morning folks. Coffee is a brewing.

 

[sourland]

Just a quick cup and then off to a field trial at my home club.

 

[MissWiggles]

Good morning, I'll have a cup...or two. Busy day ahead, but once again, the weather looks to be beautiful. Looks like ill be making a trip into town today, on a Friday, yuck. I would prefer to avoid all the idiot drivers, and I'm sure there'll be extra today.

Extra cookie baking today, along with gardening and some carpet cleaning...dog got sick about 3am which is always fun.

Enjoy the day everyone!

 

[OrganicFarmWife]

Good morning everyone! DH made it home safe late last night. Everyone is still sleeping now, so I get a quiet morning with my coffee.