Failing as a chicken owner

[Sussex19]

but with them only being a year old last month and already having lost 4 to seemingly unrelated issues

I think this is a good point you make here.
The point is they are unrelated, so I don't think anything you are doing is causing it.
I think, being high production breeds, even though they are still quite young, you will just get more problems.
Hopefully, they will settle down, and the losses will get a lot less.
And there is the old saying, if you have livestock, you will have deadstock. The point being, sometimes things just happen, and you can't do anything about it.

 

[Sussex19]

We have been doing this more often, to help. I haven’t been home as much though because both my work schedule and my husband’s work schedule have been a disaster lately. We have even been putting some of them in the new run during the day when we aren’t home (it has a tarp over it right now to protect them, but we are building a real roof).

Just do what you can.
How big is the new run? Its hard to tell from the photo, and I am just wondering if it could still be a little on the small side, particularly as you said you have just got some new chicks.
@3KillerBs would know what dimension are needed.

 

[5Australorpasaures]

What you are calling failure is nothing more than a teaching learning experience in keeping chickens. It's the same as some getting a puppy, kitten or any other animal. Listen to what experience has taught others. Shake it off and get back in there. The pleasure out weighs the disappointment.

 

[3KillerBs]

Welcome to BYC.

Sometimes problems just happen. As others have stated, the high-production breeds are prone to issues and the dual-purpose breeds -- the familiar "barnyard" chickens -- tend to be hardier.

Here's some general information for you to consider as you look at how you might improve your management and adapt to lessons learned.

The Usual Guidelines

For each adult, standard-sized hen you need:

• 4 square feet in the coop (.37 square meters)
• 10 square feet in the run (.93 square meters),
• 1 linear foot of roost (.3 meters),
• 1/4 of a nest box,
• And 1 square foot (.09 square meters) of permanent, 24/7/365 ventilation, preferably located over the birds' heads when they're sitting on the roost.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/repecka-illustrates-coop-ventilation.77659/

Where, in general, are you? Climate matters, especially when it comes to housing.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/hot-climate-chicken-housing-and-care.77263/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/cold-weather-poultry-housing-and-care.72010/

 

[AGeese]

Mine would kill each other in that small of a coop/run, and I've only got 6, but yes you live and learn. I just went through a pretty tough time with winter molt. So glad it's over.

 

[arizona_chicken_noob]

I suspect, like other posters have said, that restarting with a smaller number of heritage breeds (tougher chickens who have a lot of space per bird) will give you a better time.

It's been a real eye opener to see how busy chickens are, mine are constantly in action - digging, eating plants, dust bathing. Birds that have enough things to do and place to do it *should* be too busy to peck at each other. The guidelines that were posted above are great, and I saw a difference in my birds when I met those targets.

 

[AliciaMur2395]

Just do what you can.
How big is the new run? Its hard to tell from the photo, and I am just wondering if it could still be a little on the small side, particularly as you said you have just got some new chicks.
@3KillerBs would know what dimension are needed.

I beleive my husband said it’s 12x12.

 

[AliciaMur2395]

I suspect, like other posters have said, that restarting with a smaller number of heritage breeds (tougher chickens who have a lot of space per bird) will give you a better time.

It's been a real eye opener to see how busy chickens are, mine are constantly in action - digging, eating plants, dust bathing. Birds that have enough things to do and place to do it *should* be too busy to peck at each other. The guidelines that were posted above are great, and I saw a difference in my birds when I met those targets.

I think it hasn’t help that it has been super wet here and they do not like that at all. They have a dust bath but they prefer to do it outside in the sand I have. However, we removed a massive tree right before we got chickens and the dirt we brought in settled horribly, so we he ground is low and their sand gets wet. This is another reason we are moving the coop. It’s going in a higher area so it stays drier.

 

[AliciaMur2395]

W

Welcome to BYC.

Sometimes problems just happen. As others have stated, the high-production breeds are prone to issues and the dual-purpose breeds -- the familiar "barnyard" chickens -- tend to be hardier.

Here's some general information for you to consider as you look at how you might improve your management and adapt to lessons learned.

The Usual Guidelines

For each adult, standard-sized hen you need:

• 4 square feet in the coop (.37 square meters)
• 10 square feet in the run (.93 square meters),
• 1 linear foot of roost (.3 meters),
• 1/4 of a nest box,
• And 1 square foot (.09 square meters) of permanent, 24/7/365 ventilation, preferably located over the birds' heads when they're sitting on the roost.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/repecka-illustrates-coop-ventilation.77659/

Where, in general, are you? Climate matters, especially when it comes to housing.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/hot-climate-chicken-housing-and-care.77263/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/cold-weather-poultry-housing-and-care.72010/

We are in central illinois. It’s been cold and wet, which they absolutely hate. Some days they refuse to come out of the coop into the run if it’s cold or wet enough. Their run is covered but the ground settled and their sand gets wet, and they don’t like it.

 

[3KillerBs]

W

We are in central illinois. It’s been cold and wet, which they absolutely hate. Some days they refuse to come out of the coop into the run if it’s cold or wet enough. Their run is covered but the ground settled and their sand gets wet, and they don’t like it.

Can you get some dry organic material in there to take up some of the moisture?

Coarse wood chips are often considered the gold standard for controlling mud, but anything would help.

Do you have any "clutter" in your run?

A pallet teepee, intact straw bales, or other such items would give them something to do.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/