How to combine

[jonezjollyfarm]

I am trying to figure out the best way to get all my chickens in one coop. I had 7 hens and one rooster and hatched some eggs last year and ended up with 2 hens and another rooster. I got more chicks this season to get the hen to rooster ratio up... and ended up with at least one more rooster possibly two. Grrr. Bringing the total number of chickens to 30.
I'm trying to figure out the best way to get everyone into the big coop. I originally planned on splitting the new chicks between the two flocks in the spring and letting them establish themselves in the flock. Then in the fall combining everyone when it starts to get cold. Now I'm thinking that may be to much stress since the older birds will be molting as well. Does anyone have any suggestions? I plan on doing this when I take my vacation so I can be there in case the rooster decide to fight like crazy.

 

[Louise Waffles]

Are they sleeping coops or coops with runs attached that they are in all day?

I combined two flocks, but one flock had two roosters and the other flock was 22 ladies to even out the ratio. I had to put 22 chickens into the coop I wanted them to sleep in every night. For months. They would just perch on top of the nursery coop in the evening. It was just too small for them once they got bigger, but they wanted in there. It didn't seem like it bothered anyone too much to integrate, but I had only hens, no roosters.
If you have room in the coops to keep the flocks separate, that may be the best way. Or, use one coop for a rooster bachelor pad? They don't fight so much if there's no hens.

 

[jonezjollyfarm]

The older chickens sleep in two coops attached to one run that we build a pallet wall to keep the roosters apart.We only free range when we are home to watch because there are far too many predators. I had considered turning the smaller coop into the bachelor pad till the rooster can coexist then moving them with the hens down the road but I think being so close to the hens it will not work well.

 

[aart]

How big is the 'one coop' and run,
(in feet by feet and pics would help),
that you want all the birds to live in??

What are your goals for keeping chickens?
Are you opposed to eating/selling/giving away 'extra birds', especially the males?

Hard to say if a bachelor coop will work, might have to try it to find out.

Chicken math is not just 'addition'...but also should include Division, Multiplication and especially Subtraction!!!

 

[jonezjollyfarm]

The run is 10w× 25l× 9h and the coop is 8x 12 (the guy I bought it from had over 60 chickens in it and multiple roos. Stuffed full). I plan on expanding the run to 20×20 or larger but it's just not in the budget right now.

 

[lazy gardener]

Your coop and run are big enough for 24 full sized birds (IMO). If rooster(s) are involved, even more room is needed. I know that some folks "cram their coops full" but they are playing Russian Roulette with eventual disease or behavior issues. I would look at culling down to one rooster, and culling flock size to match coop and run size, especially before cold weather approaches again.