Hen Bullying and Feather Plucking

[3KillerBs]

Unfortunately, a lot of info on chickens' space needs are taken from the legal minimums for commercially-kept birds, who are intensively managed in ways that backyards mainly cannot duplicate and probably wouldn't want to duplicate.

Here's a excellent discussion about why those numbers above are *guidelines* rather than hard-and-fast rules: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/how-much-room-do-chickens-need.66180/

Where, in general, are you located?

If you're in a warm climate you might be able to turn your under-deck run into an open air coop by putting some kind of roofing over a section and adding some kind of weather-shelter to the windward side of the enclosure.

 

[AverageJess]

Unfortunately, a lot of info on chickens' space needs are taken from the legal minimums for commercially-kept birds, who are intensively managed in ways that backyards mainly cannot duplicate and probably wouldn't want to duplicate.

Here's a excellent discussion about why those numbers above are *guidelines* rather than hard-and-fast rules: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/how-much-room-do-chickens-need.66180/

Where, in general, are you located?

If you're in a warm climate you might be able to turn your under-deck run into an open air coop by putting some kind of roofing over a section and adding some kind of weather-shelter to the windward side of the enclosure.

Well that's a bummer, but I guess I'm not too surprised. We are located in Iowa so our winters can be pretty harsh, unfortunately. I'll have to maybe plan on modifying the coop or something. At least it will be warming up soon and they can sleep out in the run again, that will give us some time to make plans for next winter. :/

 

[AverageJess]

You've got a nice area, maybe just come up with a way of expanding your coop. There was someone else on here that built a nice coop right under a staircase, but I can't remember who

Oh that's a neat idea! We actually have a good spot for that, but we don't own this place so I'm not sure how doable that would be. It's something to think about though.

 

[annageckos]

Try adding some stuff to break up line of sight. Plywood, logs, lawn deco. Anything, it really doesn't matter what.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Try adding some stuff to break up line of sight. Plywood, logs, lawn deco. Anything, it really doesn't matter what.

x2, some clutter in the run area will help: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/ . I'm glad the run is a good size at least - doesn't completely fix the issue with the coop being small, but at least it gives the birds more space to get away from each other while they're out in the run.

 

[Iluveggers]

I wonder if you could take the isolation pen, put it up against your coop, take one side wall off the coop, and attach the pen to that side. Then cover the isolation pen with plywood or a wind-breaking tarp (leaving some ventilation at the top.) So kind of sticking the two together in some way. You could add another roost bar on the pen side. That would give another 16 sq feet or so to the coop which would be so much more room. I hope this makes sense!

 

[AverageJess]

Try adding some stuff to break up line of sight. Plywood, logs, lawn deco. Anything, it really doesn't matter what.

Never would have thought of this. Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[AverageJess]

I wonder if you could take the isolation pen, put it up against your coop, take one side wall off the coop, and attach the pen to that side. Then cover the isolation pen with plywood or a wind-breaking tarp (leaving some ventilation at the top.) So kind of sticking the two together in some way. You could add another roost bar on the pen side. That would give another 16 sq feet or so to the coop which would be so much more room. I hope this makes sense!

Yes makes sense. That's not a bad idea!

 

[AverageJess]

This is what I had on hand, but I'll keep my eye out for more stuff and add to my clutter collection. I think my in laws will have some good stuff for me.

 

[3KillerBs]

Try adding some stuff to break up line of sight. Plywood, logs, lawn deco. Anything, it really doesn't matter what.

This is my run from before the new coop was finished. There is no place inside it where I could stand and see everything and it was even more broken up from chicken height.