Have a male...what would you do?

[NatJ]

Oh and also wonder if adding new chicks to the clutch would cause problems... if we do choose to get 1 or 2 more, does it matter the spunk or other characteristics of the new ones for a better transition?

How old are these chicks? If they are under about 2 weeks old, there is no problem. Just bring the new ones home, pop them in the brooder, and they should be fine.

sorry I had to go measure. So it is 11.5x4 feet enclosed and covered long run area plus a 4x4 area (that can be enclosed with bad weather) off the ground not including 3 laying boxes.

If your chickens live in that space all the time, and never come out, I would consider it good for about 4 chickens (staying in the 4x4 area in bad weather, using the bigger area as a run in good weather.)

Your climate will have a big effect on whether they need to spend much time in that 4x4 more sheltered space.

And if you have another big run attached to that, where they can spend most of their days, that can also make a big difference in how many chickens live comfortably in that size pen.

 

[DozenChipper]

Wait, the coop is 11.5 x 4, or the coop is the 4x4 area? How big is the actual run, or are you free ranging?

Is this a prefab (sounds suspiciously like one) or something you built? Any photos?

Sorry, I'm a newbie to this obviously and all this terminology. This was built by previous owners of our new place. I can provide a picture in the morning. The roof is 4x11.5. The 'walls' are small gapped metal fencing from the ground up. There is a raised area that can be completely closed in within that which is 4x4 with a window and 3 laying boxes off of it. That whole thing / actual coop?sits above the ground so underneath is an 11.5x4 ft space to walk around within the enclosure.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Sorry, I'm a newbie to this obviously and all this terminology. This was built by previous owners of our new place. I can provide a picture in the morning. The roof is 4x11.5. The 'walls' are small gapped metal fencing from the ground up. There is a raised area that can be completely closed in within that which is 4x4 with a window and 3 laying boxes off of it. That whole thing / actual coop?sits above the ground so underneath is an 11.5x4 ft space to walk around within the enclosure.

Photos would definitely help - from the description the coop is the 4x4 part, and the run is 4x11. You can hold about 4 hens in that space. Roosters are larger and may need extra space.

Example: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-renovated-prefab-coop.1440258/ - in the Before photo, the small unit in the top is the coop, the wired off space below is the run. The coop's owner renovated it to convert the entire unit into a coop. I will post conversion instructions if it's relevant in your situation.

 

[DozenChipper]

Photos would definitely help - from the description the coop is the 4x4 part, and the run is 4x11. You can hold about 4 hens in that space. Roosters are larger and may need extra space.

Example: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-renovated-prefab-coop.1440258/ - in the Before photo, the small unit in the top is the coop, the wired off space below is the run. The coop's owner renovated it to convert the entire unit into a coop. I will post conversion instructions if it's relevant in your situation.

That is too funny. Ours is very close to that style and I was just telling hubby that we could always add plywood to wall the whole thing in to make a bigger coop! Thanks for the link / visual!!

 

[LizzzyJo]

Cockerels are always the sweetest babies. They lack fear and bond quickly.

He will be a sweet baby boy until he’s a few months old. Then one day, out of the blue, he will attack you or your kids.

If course this May not happen! You may get seriously lucky. But, if you find you do want a roo to protect your free range flock, I highly recommend buying a good roo off of someone online that is an adult roo whose characteristics are known.

I wouldn’t start your chicken journey with a boy in tow. It’s too hard and the odds are too against you. Post him now to sell or give away. Posting with a girl will get him to sell easier. Selling instead of free helps to keep him from harm. Plus it sounds like you may have space issues.

This is all just my opinion- obviously take it or leave it!

Good luck!

 

[rosemarythyme]

That is too funny. Ours is very close to that style and I was just telling hubby that we could always add plywood to wall the whole thing in to make a bigger coop! Thanks for the link / visual!!

Ok, so a conversion would be highly recommended, as you do not have space for the number of chicks you currently have. Note that this does require an additional run, this is strictly to convert the entire unit into a coop.

To turn it from 2 small "boxes" (tiny coop above tiny run) into 1 bigger "box" you'll want to remove as much of the inside coop wall as possible, plus the floor. Take out the old roosts too.

Nests might be able to stay as is, or may need to be relocated elsewhere or replaced - depends on the structure of the coop and how things inside stack up once done.

Run a new roost(s) lengthwise or widthwise across the newly open space, depending on how much roost is needed. Ideally you’d like 12” per bird but 10” can suffice in many cases.

Board up some of the external wire walls so that the roost area is protected from winds and rain. Do NOT fully cover up all the wire, you need ventilation and natural light, so at the very least a few inches under the roofline should remain open. If your climate allows for it, you can leave entire walls open with just the mesh, or make it convertible for the season by covering up open walls for winter, and then uncovering for summer.

Example of a modified prefab: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-renovated-prefab-coop.1440258/

 

[NatJ]

Ours is very close to that style and I was just telling hubby that we could always add plywood to wall the whole thing in to make a bigger coop! Thanks for the link / visual!!

Wait, wait, not quite yet.

What climate do you live in? Telling what country, or what US state, is an easy way to give people an idea of it.

The right coop for Alaska is very different than the right coop for Florida.

So do a basic check on what is right for your climate before you start modifying anything. (And yes, do please post photos as well.)

 

[Mrs. K]

Coop is a building that provides wind shelter for roosting. A run is the outside area that is protected from predators. I have wind protection in there too. Wind is powerful in SD.

For 12 hens, you would need 48 square feet in the coop. Which is 6 feet x 8 feet building if you have any winter at all at a minimum. For 12 hens, you need about 120 square feet, so 10 x 12 at least.

If you want to keep a rooster, you need more room than that.

What appears to be more than enough room for chicks, will rapidly become not enough room as they grow up. VERY UGLY behaviors happen when chicks do not have enough room. In your current set up, I would keep 2 full size hens, maybe 3 bantams. If you modify it, I would keep 3 full size hens, and maybe 4-5 bantams. No where near the number of chicks you have.

If this is your first year with chickens, if your children are under the age of 6, do not keep the rooster. Roosters take more experience, and are a crap shoot. Inexperienced people do not recognize the signs of aggression. New people are often uncomfortable with culling an aggressive bird, and vastly underestimate how violent a bird can be. Children tend to take an attack in the face. This forum is filled with stories that the darling became the nightmare. Roosters have ruined the whole chicken experience for a lot of people.

Mrs K

 

[DozenChipper]

Coop is a building that provides wind shelter for roosting. A run is the outside area that is protected from predators. I have wind protection in there too. Wind is powerful in SD.

For 12 hens, you would need 48 square feet in the coop. Which is 6 feet x 8 feet building if you have any winter at all at a minimum. For 12 hens, you need about 120 square feet, so 10 x 12 at least.

If you want to keep a rooster, you need more room than that.

What appears to be more than enough room for chicks, will rapidly become not enough room as they grow up. VERY UGLY behaviors happen when chicks do not have enough room. In your current set up, I would keep 2 full size hens, maybe 3 bantams. If you modify it, I would keep 3 full size hens, and maybe 4-5 bantams. No where near the number of chicks you have.

If this is your first year with chickens, if your children are under the age of 6, do not keep the rooster. Roosters take more experience, and are a crap shoot. Inexperienced people do not recognize the signs of aggression. New people are often uncomfortable with culling an aggressive bird, and vastly underestimate how violent a bird can be. Children tend to take an attack in the face. This forum is filled with stories that the darling became the nightmare. Roosters have ruined the whole chicken experience for a lot of people.

Mrs K

Yikes! This is why I appreciate this board. Don't underestimate the power of hormones, right? For the record these chicks are all 1 week old, max. We do have another shed outside right next to the coop that could be used... I'd just need to add more ventilation and so forth. It was a storage shed previously but is empty now, at least 12x10 in size. I do plan to give the chickens free range while we're outside.

 

[DozenChipper]

Wait, wait, not quite yet.

What climate do you live in? Telling what country, or what US state, is an easy way to give people an idea of it.

The right coop for Alaska is very different than the right coop for Florida.

So do a basic check on what is right for your climate before you start modifying anything. (And yes, do please post photos as well.)

we have winters but they're not that bad. Va/Md/DC area. I'd probably just use a different shed 8 feet away rather than modify, I've decided.