Coop/Run introduction of 4 and 10 week olds

[drinkoj]

Also, after researching on this site and asking similar questions, anything more than about 1.5 weeks age difference may lead to some killing or serious injuries (I have 9 week and 1 week chick difference. Here's a thread that I'm going to using as my play guide, it might help in your situation too. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/my-coop-brooder-and-integration.74591/

 

[Mrs. K]

This would be a lovely set up for about 6 birds at a max. Maybe, a slim maybe, if you live in the far south, where you have little winter, you might do ok with 7-8. But if you live in the northern part, the long nights of winter are going to coincide with your birds becoming full size. My birds roost up about 4:30 here in early December, and stay on the roost until 7:30 the next morning. A long time to be over crowded. A blizzard will also keep them way too tight in there.

This is a lovely set up, and will give you a lot of joy, but you are planning to put way too many birds in there. Sometimes people think the run area can compensate for the roost in the coop, but the long nights of winter prove them wrong.

I would just want your first flock to be more successful. A rule of thumb is 4 square feet for each bird in the coop, 10 square feet in the run. Personally I like a little more than that in the run.

Reduce your flock, and start off right. They are a lot of fun. And later - well add on to the coop if you want more birds... there are very few of us on this forum that have not done that.

Mrs K

 

[drinkoj]

Agree, that's not much space in the coop for that many birds. It's 4 sq feet per chicken, 2 sq feet for bantams.

The large run area helps I have been advised as I have a 4x8 coop with 11 chicks, but a 10x10x6 run. So I am pushing limits by having 3 sq feet per bird in the coop, but only use the coop for sleeping (like what you are going to do).

 

[Mrs. K]

What works for chicks may not work for full size birds. While there is no perfect hard cast number that will work in every situation, it is without a doubt, over crowded chickens develop very ugly behaviors.

People are often buying pre-fab coops that state that they hold 6 birds. Then about 4 months later, they come on all upset as a bird or two has been pecked bloody, even killed even though they were raised together. Space is crucial to happy chickens.

I have had chickens for nearly 20 years... I am pretty sure you are headed to a train wreck with 12 birds in that coop. Then you are making it worse odds of them getting along by adding several different ages of birds. On top of that, you are adding birds from different places, birds that have been exposed to different germs.

Frankly, this is your deal, and you can try it the way you want, but the chances of this not working out well are getting bigger and bigger. You cannot just wish chickens into being nice. Stressed chickens and these are going to be stressed, are much more susceptible to disease.

I strongly recommend, cutting your order in half, getting all the same age birds from the same place. Next year, as you get some experience, enlarge your coop, then add some different breeds. Adding chicks to established hens is tricky, but not as tricky as what you are proposing.

But this is your rodeo.

Mrs K

 

[NatJ]

Our plan is to pick all of them up the same day and put them into the coop/run at the same time....The younger are barred rock and a fbcm. The older are isa, EE, black sex link, and silkie.

If there are only a few big birds, and more small birds, you will probably be fine. "Small" birds would probably be the 4 week birds and the silkies.

I suggest you try putting them together under supervision, but do make a plan to separate them if it does not go well. (Dog crate, separate pen, divided pen, etc.)

You could get a piece of wire fencing and divide the pen in half. If you size the holes right, the small chicks will be able to go back-and-forth in the whole coop, while the larger birds are stuck on one side. That can give the small ones a place to escape. Maybe 3" holes? I don't have any right-age chicks to push through fences to check

 

[Mrs. K]

and a silkie - esh, you really couldn't make this worse.

 

[kevfries88]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I will post how it goes when we get it all settled in.

 

[aart]

We are getting 12 birds, from 3 different places, ranging between 4 and 10 weeks. As in my original post, the coop is 20sqft and the run is over 160sqft.

3 different sources may be a big risk for pests and disease, no matter how reputable the 'breeders'. Quarantine would be impossible.

That is pretty tight space for 12 birds, especially the coop(which needs more windows for light and ventilation). Is that cupola functional or decorative? If functional, would still work much better with air coming in lower.

Since they are so young, tossing them all in together would be worth trying,
but have a plan B.
I hope your run is now finished because things will go smoother with more space.

Welcome to BYC! @kevfries88 sorry you got some unpleasant news about your space.
Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!

 

[kevfries88]

3 different sources may be a big risk for pests and disease, no matter how reputable the 'breeders'. Quarantine would be impossible.

That is pretty tight space for 12 birds, especially the coop(which needs more windows for light and ventilation). Is that cupola functional or decorative? If functional, would still work much better with air coming in lower.

Since they are so young, tossing them all in together would be worth trying,
but have a plan B.
I hope your run is now finished because things will go smoother with more space.

Welcome to BYC! @kevfries88 sorry you got some unpleasant news about your space.
Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!
View attachment 2219724

The birds will not being going in until the run is finished. The cupola has an industrial fan in it, and I am installing a window on the front also. I am going to make a sectioned area in the coop and run that only the smallest birds can fit through if they want/need. I also was off a little bit on the ages, they will be 10 weeks and 6 weeks. Plan B is extending the coop on the front side (ramp side) to add 10 sqft.
Also, you said that is a tight space for 12 birds, especially the coop. I understand the coop, but the run is 160+ sqft. That is over 13sft per bird in the run, everything else ive seen is 8-10 per bird so 13 seemed like plenty to me?

 

[aart]

Plan B is extending the coop on the front side (ramp side) to add 10 sqft.

I'd do that now.
Plan B would be having a separate space for some of the birds if they don't get along.

Also, you said that is a tight space for 12 birds, especially the coop. I understand the coop, but the run is 160+ sqft. That is over 13sft per bird in the run, everything else ive seen is 8-10 per bird so 13 seemed like plenty to me?

The numbers for space out there are basic and minimal.
Most of use here have found that more space is much better,
crowding can cause ugly issues that are no fun for either the birds or the keeper to deal with. Your birds might be fine with that space, but I doubt it.
Might depend on your climate...if you'll let us know what it is.