Fearful Little Hens, but One Happy Roo!

[Mutt Farm]

Hi! Welcome!

If I read your posts right, there was some squabbling even the night you locked Pepper out and it was dusk (roosting time)? I'd have a look at your roosting bars. I saw you have several, but they will quite often squabble and fight over the "best" one. My more docile hens started being a little reluctant to coop up, I watched the more dominant ones kicking them off the roosts. I observed the favorite roost and doubled that one up with an extra bar same height with 3' in-between. That fixed it. The roost may have nothing to do with your situation, but thought I'd share my similar exp and solution. also, for nests, you can use any bucket or box turned on it's side till you have time to make boxes. Lots of folks use a 5 gal with the lid cut out. Good luck!

 

[junebuggena]

A 4x10 coop is pretty small for 15 birds. And it sounds like your hens might not have enough room to avoid the rooster's unwanted attentions. Most of your girls are still a bit too young to be receptive towards his advances. If things don't start to settle down in a few more weeks, you might want to think about building a bigger coop or rehoming a few birds.

 

[brideoftheson]

Hi MuttFarm. There isn’t any squabbling now that I coop the rooster up separately. One time I heard some ruckus but other than that all my birds get along really well. The hens were fearful of “Pepper’s” pouncing on them and wouldn’t go in the coop, but for this past week it’s a lot better. I catch my roo before dusk and put him in his separate pen so the hens have a clear and safe path home to the coop. The photos I posted are not of their coop. They have several outside perching options, one of which you saw in the picture. Thanks for the advice on the nesting boxes. My husband is going to work on that tomorrow. They’ve laid in the goat pen and in one of the outside shelters. Today I did stack 4 milk crates securely in their coop with some hay.
They are all free range, but don’t take advantage of all that they have. They tend to stay around the barnyard.

Hi Junebuggena. I agree more space would be optimal. My husband is adding the nests tomorrow which will add more square feet. However, as it is now they all flock on the same side of the coup together and don’t utilize the space they have. So I find it hard to believe they don’t have enough space. (14 chickens but only 13 at night right now) One night they are on one side, then they are all on the other. They have different levels and tons of perching space within their coop as well. Several friends and relatives of mine who have chickens have seen my set up and said that it’s fine, especially since they are free ranging 13+hrs a day. Is this not correct? Re-homing birds is not an option. I love them all too much.
You mentioned that they are not as receptive to his advances because they are still young. I truly am hoping this is the case. I look forward to things ironing themselves out in the near future.
I'll keep you all updated.
Thanks everyone!

 

[junebuggena]

Nests do not count in calculating sq footage. You can get by with a too small coop if they have lots of space to range, but it can become a problem it is the only shelter they have come winter.

 

[brideoftheson]

Thanks Junebuggena.

I hear you. I am confident with the space, habitat, and provisions my chicken have they will be just fine. They all seem very happy.

I have considered the winter situation since I live 2 miles from the Canadian border and spend a good amount of time in freezing snowy weather. Our coop is built with-in the barn so on the coldest of coldest days I would let them free with-in the barn with the other animals. On warmer winter days they have three other covered shelters to wander around and perch on and in.
Perhaps I’ll take some pictures when I get time.

 

[Eggstra Special]

I was in the same boat as you I had some very timid chickens but my silkie rooster is just the bravest little thing