Dog killed half my flock. Now what?

[Folly's place]

I hope your production reds turn out well. At least one of them seems nice so far.
Mary

 

[aart]

I only have room for 2-3 more hens.

Wondering what this means in feet by feet?
Dimensions and pics would help here.
Integration works best with extra space.
Best of cLuck!

Here's some tips about.....
Integration Basics:
It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.
Good ideas for hiding places:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

 

[VinnyVincent]

Wondering what this means in feet by feet?
Dimensions and pics would help here.
Integration works best with extra space.
Best of cLuck!

Here's some tips about.....
Integration Basics:
It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.
Good ideas for hiding places:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

The limiting factor is my coop. It's 3'×7', but it does have the upper and lower level. It has two 3' roosting boards in the upper enclosed portion.
The 'run' is the area outside the coop. That area is about 7'×16'. The other photo is the garden that I let them have access to pretty much all day. That area is 16'×40+'.

Right now I have the existing flock inside the bottom of their coop with separate feed and water, and the new chickens are in the run area with their own food and water. Later today I plan on letting the new ones into the garden and letting the existing ones into the run, so they aren't cooped up all day.
I plan to do that for about a week, then I plan on letting the existing flock out into the garden while the new ones are out there.
The 'coop' I'm using for the new chickens is a dog kennel with a tarp over it. Once I introduce them after being physically separate for a week, I plan to let them share the coop you see on the photo.

Does that sound okay, or would you change anything?

 

[VinnyVincent]

Almost forgot to show off the new ladies! The one on the left is Blanche. She's the one who is apparently already laying eggs...although I haven't seen any yet
She's quite feisty! She's been pecking at the existing ones even though she can't get at them through the hardware cloth.

The one on the right is Sophia. She's closer in age to the existing flock, isn't laying yet, and is a total sweetheart. I feel bad because she's kinda getting picked on, locked up alone with Blanche right now.

 

[Folly's place]

So many production reds are like Blanche! At least in my experience, which is why I haven't had any for a long time.
Mary

 

[aart]

The limiting factor is my coop. It's 3'×7', but it does have the upper and lower level. It has two 3' roosting boards in the upper enclosed portion.

Yes, indeed...3x7 I wouldn't expect more then 3 birds to occupy happily.
Upper portion is only half the size of lower.....not quite sure if I'm seeing a sharply angled roof correctly. Pics of inside?


Oh, and, pardon my lack of manners....Welcome to BYC! @VinnyVincent
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!

 

[VinnyVincent]

Yes, indeed...3x7 I wouldn't expect more then 3 birds to occupy happily.
Upper portion is only half the size of lower.....not quite sure if I'm seeing a sharply angled roof correctly. Pics of inside?


Oh, and, pardon my lack of manners....Welcome to BYC! @VinnyVincent
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 2146684

The roof does have a pretty steep slope. The clearance on the far back wall between the ceiling and the second level floor is only 12", but it very quickly rises to 24"+. The highest point on the second level is roughly 42".
I put the nesting box outside, mounted to the fence in the run area, to save space. Not sure how well that's going to work out...

I guess my thought process was that they would be spending a majority of their time "free ranging" in the garden, and would basically only sleep in the coop...which until now is what's been happening. Everyone's been getting along great.
However, now that Blanche has come along, I'm getting a bit concerned lol...it doesn't seem like she likes to share her space, like the others have been doing.

I fixed my profile location, thanks so much for the tip! I'm in Houston, TX. We only get temps below freezing maybe 1-3 times a year on average. Last year we never got a freeze at all. They should have access to the large garden area pretty much year round, and would very rarely, if ever be locked inside the coop all day.

 

[VinnyVincent]

So many production reds are like Blanche! At least in my experience, which is why I haven't had any for a long time.
Mary

Her attitude is almost worth it, since I also got such a sweet one like Sophia. Sounds like I got lucky with her.
The jury is still out on them with me, let's see how it turns out. Blanche seems like she is a very healthy chicken. She really seems to enjoy foraging and eating her greens. I am thinking she is going to supply me with plenty of eggs! I'll let her get away with a little sass, as long as she is pulling her weight around here lol

Did yours have beaks that were almost rounded on the end, and not pointy? It's almost like someone clipped them or something, but I doubt the lady I got these from would've done that. My existing ladies have SHARP beaks compared to the two production reds I just got. It hurts to feed them from my hand. When the production reds eat from my hand, its so much more comfortable, because their beaks are more rounded.

I guess I am just wondering if that's trait of the breed, or if they are blunt from some other cause.

 

[NatJ]

I guess I am just wondering if that's trait of the breed, or if they are blunt from some other cause.

I think all chickens have beaks that keep growing constantly. The shape at the end would be affected by what the chicken does: wiping the beak on a rock would sharpen it, pecking food bits off a concrete surface might dull it, and so forth.

I'm guessing it's just a matter of having lived in different conditions--after a few months at your place, they are likely to have beaks the same shape as your other chickens, unless they have a habit of using their beaks differently.

 

[aart]

would basically only sleep in the coop

Yeah, but..... they still need to get in there and get settled.
RoostTimeRumble, the most contentious part of their day.
That smaller roost is awfully small.

Did yours have beaks that were almost rounded on the end, and not pointy? It's almost like someone clipped them or something

It may have been clipped, post pics of it.