Coop crowding

[Harringtonjen]

Hello! We ordered 5 Orpingtons after researching their temperament and personality. We also have a coop designed to fit “up to 5 large hens”. Well, the shipment contained 7 chicks.
I’m not sure if this is done intentionally? my kiddos are already too attached to give any away.
Question-should I purchase another small coop? Will they sleep in separate coops to avoid overcrowding? Or should I wait and see if we actually hang on to all 7? Thank you for any input.

 

[boskelli1571]

Hello! We ordered 5 Orpingtons after researching their temperament and personality. We also have a coop designed to fit “up to 5 large hens”. Well, the shipment contained 7 chicks.
I’m not sure if this is done intentionally? my kiddos are already too attached to give any away.
Question-should I purchase another small coop? Will they sleep in separate coops to avoid overcrowding? Or should I wait and see if we actually hang on to all 7? Thank you for any input.

Welcome to the coop!
You have "packing peanuts" in the form of 2 extras. Are they Orps too? They may be roosters.......after 7-8 weeks you should have an idea of what they are.
So, how much sq.ft floor space do you have in the coop? For a large bird like an Orp you should have 4 sq.ft/per bird.
Manufacturers are 'optimistic' about how many birds you can jam into a box, so I suspect you will have significantly less room than needed.
If you are going to allow them to free range you could get away with a little less space. You don't say where you are located, but if you have long, cold winters your chickens may resort to pecking, feather pulling etc. b/c insufficient room and boredom.
If I were you I would buy another coop like the one you have and split the birds into two groups but let them range together during the day.

 

[Harringtonjen]

Welcome to the coop!
You have "packing peanuts" in the form of 2 extras. Are they Orps too? They may be roosters.......after 7-8 weeks you should have an idea of what they are.
So, how much sq.ft floor space do you have in the coop? For a large bird like an Orp you should have 4 sq.ft/per bird.
Manufacturers are 'optimistic' about how many birds you can jam into a box, so I suspect you will have significantly less room than needed.
If you are going to allow them to free range you could get away with a little less space. You don't say where you are located, but if you have long, cold winters your chickens may resort to pecking, feather pulling etc. b/c insufficient room and boredom.
If I were you I would buy another coop like the one you have and split the birds into two groups but let them range together during the day.

Wow! Thank you so much. We purchased the Omlet Cube-does state this 3.5 x 3.1 portable (main reason we purchased), coop is big enough for up to 5 Orpingtons. Should we plan on intentionally splitting them, or will they do this independently? We live in Massachusetts so cold winters. Lots of Lyme, so we do plan on free ranging. They all look the same, so I assume they’re Orps. Thank you again

 

[boskelli1571]

Wow! Thank you so much. We purchased the Omlet Cube-does state this 3.5 x 3.1 portable (main reason we purchased), coop is big enough for up to 5 Orpingtons. Should we plan on intentionally splitting them, or will they do this independently? We live in Massachusetts so cold winters. Lots of Lyme, so we do plan on free ranging. They all look the same, so I assume they’re Orps. Thank you again

I would split them in the evenings before they all go to bed. It doesn't really matter if you get the same 4/3 split each time since they are all going to mix during the day. I have a couple of hens that change coops regularly.
Make sure your yard is predator proof before you let then free range, good luck

 

[Mamatomany123]

Wow! Thank you so much. We purchased the Omlet Cube-does state this 3.5 x 3.1 portable (main reason we purchased), coop is big enough for up to 5 Orpingtons. Should we plan on intentionally splitting them, or will they do this independently? We live in Massachusetts so cold winters. Lots of Lyme, so we do plan on free ranging. They all look the same, so I assume they’re Orps. Thank you again

Its 3.5 ft x 3.1 ft? That's suitable for maybe 3 orpingtons.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Recommended minimum in the coop is 4 sq ft per bird. Orps are on the larger side, for standard birds. I wouldn't put more than 2 in that amount of space.

Also during prolonged or snowy winters, especially if the run isn't protected from winds or snow, the chickens may not want to come out at all. If that's the case, you ought to bump up coop space to 6-8 sq ft per bird.

Also I agree that there's a chance that the extra chicks are "packing peanuts" aka males. Hatcheries will often include them as freebies unless you specifically tell them not to.