Can two hens with chicks be in the same pen?

[dacasodivine]

I am waiting on an order of chicks and don't even have my coop/pen up yet. But I saw someone giving away their flock. All he has left are a couple of hens with chicks. I was thinking of using a couple of dog houses or barrels or even rubbermaid containers so they would each have their own 'house' for now. We would put up a temp fence with the 'houses' on seperate sides. Would this work? How big should it be? Keeping in mind this is just temporary. We had planned to start work on the coop and pen next weekend.

Thanks in advance

 

[mhoward92]

That would work fine. The size of it depends on how many chicks there are.

 

[dacasodivine]

I'm not sure yet how many chicks there are. If I build the temp pen off the back of my house coming up to the porch, I think the pen area would be 10 x 10. I'm hoping that will be enough.

Thanks

 

[dacasodivine]

Well, it looks like it's not going to happen.

He also has a couple of roosters and I e-mailed that I only wanted the hens and chicks. He responded that hens won't lay without a rooster

and that he had someone interested in taking them all. Oh yeah, I would need to put a top on my pen because they would be able to fly over any fence.

The right hens will come up with I have somewhere to put them.

 

[mhoward92]

Hmm hens not laying without a rooster?? Mabe but i have never heard of that before. yes 10x10 would be plenty of room though. Yes they will come. now that it is hatching season people will be selling their hens as well as tons of chicks. you will find some and you will LOVE them too!!!

 

[dacasodivine]

10 x 10 was going to be the temp pen. The spot I have picked out for the coop and pen will be around 20 x 30 or 20 x 40. I have 18 chicks coming from Ideal on the 19th, and I want to get a couple hens that are already laying.

I want to build a tractor so the chicks can go outside when the weather is nice. I might go ahead and do that so I have somewhere in case a good deal like this comes up again. That will be a good weekend project.