Hi to Everyone! I am new to raising chickens and am learning so much about them and growing to enjoy having them. I have been reading up on the issues I have been challenged with. I adopted a small flock from a friend who didn't have time for them anymore, which included a few different breeds. Not sure what they all are but they look like Easter Eggers, Maran Rooster, leghorn hens, silver-laced wyandotte (maybe 2 of those)...anyways, I have 6 full grown hens and 1 rooster in a small coop right now. A few weeks after she gave us those she gave us 6 chicks which she had incubated herself from the same flock. I raised those and they are now 7 months old. I moved them out to a small coop next to the bigger one with the other ones in it. In my ignorance and bad coop design in the beginning, I lost 4 of the chicks (2 roosters, 2 hens) and now have only 2 left to add to my bigger group. The problem I am having is one is another Maran Rooster and the hen is a leghorn. My daughter wants the rooster and I am not quite sure how I am going to safely integrate the hen into the old group???? Right now, I put the two coops together so that they can go between both, but, as you know, this is not working for the "new rooster" and the "ole one" and I feel terrible getting rid of the rooster right now and causing the single hen to be all alone. Such a predicament and I am at a loss at what to do. Any ideas for this newbie? Thanks so much for the warm welcomes, I am looking forward to learning more and more from everyone! Traci Shafer "Love my chickens"
First off Well you do have some issues? You could build a separate 3 run. Could merge your 2 runs into all of them together and the new in one of the 2. Build a small brooder to add if you need to keep the Roo's away from each other. the 7 month Pullets and the grown group could be put together I would think. How long doesn't seem like an issue except with he new group so put the new group by themselves and combine the pullets and the older hens. Hell I dont know the full story. It sounds like you have room to add on for sure.
