Howdy! New and need help

[nicolebee]

Hello there, I am new to raising chickens but we moved to a home with a large chicken coop and run so we are utilizing it. I have "tween" age chicks, about 8-10 weeks. A friend found a grown chicken and have her to me she is a hoot and has a funny personality but she is kind of bullying my littles. Any advice?

Also I am nervous about leaving them over night out there without the coop closed up. Something got in my run and killed three but now they are a little bit larger and there is a big girl in there. What to do?

Thank you so much!!

 

[Wayne II]

I would be concerned about many preditors. My are totally closed in with heavy poultry wire fencing. We have everything from hawks to coyotes. Good luck?

 

[nicolebee]

Well whatever got in managed to get in a very very small spot. So do you close your up every night? I hate for something to get in the coop and scare them out and kill them. I have to go out of town and it is hard needing them put up and out every morning.

 

[nicolebee]

A hawk broke open the wire and killed 1 in the beginning. Started with 14 now I have 9 babies and the new hen

 

[sourland]

Welcome to BYC. Unless your pen is an absolute Fort Knox it is advisable to lock up the coop every night.

 

[TwoCrows]

Welcome to BYC!

The coop needs to be locked up every night. Don't mix older birds and younger birds until the young ones are the same size as the older ones. Keep them all separated but cage the younger ones for several weeks for introductions. Then you can mix them. But wait until the babies are the same size.

Welcome to our flock!

 

[nicolebee]

I don't have any place to separate them!!! They are out there together right now on day 2 of being together! Uh O

 

[gander007]

Need to build a little cage you are going to be surprised how often you are going to use it ...

.

 

[nicolebee]

So the littles would be in a cage all day and night? That's not too fair

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC! It may not be fair but it is usually the easiest way to keep them separated so the smaller/younger ones don't get bullied or hurt by the bigger one... if you can't divide the coop somehow, or since you only have one older bird setting her up in a smaller area and giving the chicks the main coop.