Coop for all ages

[Mark]

While designing my new coop, I've started wondering if I can build one coop that can house both 5-10 week old chicks and adults.

It seems there are 3 age groups, each with their own needs:

1. 4-6 week old chicks. They need special heated and protected cages.

2. 5 to about 10+ week olds. They don't need the heat, but they need to be protected from adult birds.

3. 10 weeks and higher. If the chicks are big enough, they can generally work their way into the pecking order and join the general flock.

It would be nice to keep #2 and #3 in the same structure, but I don't see a convenient way to do it.

 

[Royal Oaks Ranch]

To help prevent disease you need to seperate your chicks brooder chicks from the ones that are older. up to about 8 weeks in one shed, the others can go outside in a grow pen.

I have chicks in heated brooders on one wall, then the other side of my chick shed holds the ones that dont require heat but arent quite ready to go outside in a grow pen.
The grow pen chicks are seperated from my adults. They have their own coop with a run attached.. Its a 4 x 8 solid walled coop with a door, and then an 8 x 8 run attached.
Then when they are about 3 to 4 months old (if they are big enough size wise too) then they get turned out with the adults until they are big enough and make the cut to be a breeder.

 

[AtRendeAcres]

not to high jack your post!!!

I have:
2- 5 wks
3- 4 wks
these are in shed

I have 15 - 1 wk brooding in extra tub!

I was planning on putting them in the shed in cage so they can see each other @ 3 weeks (this is the age first batch started flying around bathroom)

I thought another week with brooder light then let them mix!

Would that be ok?

 

[Mark]

Royal Oaks Ranch,

Thanks for the post. I'm trying to imagine your setup. Do you have 3 structures? In one shed, there are heated and unheated brooders (on different sides of the shed). Then there is the grow pen. Finally, there is the adult pen(s).

Do the adults free-range? Since you seem to be breeding, I would assume free-ranging is out.