Getting Rhode Island reds and barred rocks together

[JULIE L CORWIN]

As baby chicks to grow up together. New coop and run being built. Getting 16 in all. Each chicken will have 6 square feet of space in coop. Making a large run to fit all in. From reading on raising new chicks and managing your flock post. Should have enough room. So chickens can get away from each other. Will have chicks in a very large brooder for 6 weeks. Till coop built. Mine will be all egg layers. When they are in the coop. Do they need lamps or small bulbs with out heat. For egg production?.
I have had Golden buff chickens. The present ones that I have are 4 years old. You can really tell who is boss chicken. As that one has all her feathers. The other 3 don't. Not molting. I saw the boss pick feathers out of the other 3. They look so sorry They have 35 square feet of floor space.Now comes my question on them. The golden buffs. There eggs are paper thin and some odd shaped. I have grit and oyster shell out for them. But not much has been ate. I free ranged them for a while thinking the stuff in the yard might increase there calcium level. But the shells on the eggs remain the same thickness. I realize these chickens are getting up in years. They will be gone before the new ones get here. Planning on getting them to the butcher. Will only boil there meat for broth. As I have heard that the older a chicken gets the worse it's meat is to eat.Thank you for your time in answering my questions

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I think I picked up just one question in your background story...do you need bulb light in your coop for egg production.

Yes, lighting the coop can increase egg production, but it has to be done correctly, AND if you lose light for a night, or a day or two, you can force a molt or at the least slow egg production for several weeks.

I personally don't light my coops. It's a hassle, and I don't have a wired coop. (Burned a coop down with a flood lamp once).

But, many do. It doesn't take much light. Only enough to read a newspaper at hen level.

I'll link a good article on coop lighting for you below.

Good luck with your new set of chickens. I agree it is time for the older ones to go, especially the feather eater. She is trouble.

LofMc
https://extension.umaine.edu/publications/2227e/

 

[aart]

Will only boil there meat for broth.

Use the whole carcass, much of the goodness is in the bones.
I pressure cook the whole thing for about an hour,
then remove all the meat put the rest back in and cook for another couple hours to get a good bone broth. Always like to remind that resting the cleaned carcass in the fridge for 48-72 hours will make the difference between easily chewed meat and 'shoe leather'.

If you present flock is eating feathers, time to look at your feeding content and regime.