will split and use both? will they try to cram in one? i have 3 buff orpington pullets (4 monthish) and 3 bantams (2 hens and a rooster) and am getting 2 blue orpingtons in 3 weeks (will be 2 months old). my current coop will not hold this number of chickens. I have to put the coops in the same enclosure to provide protection at night. they currently tend to hang with their own breed and there's no interaction between the orpingtons and the bantams. its odd my previous flock intermingled, but these seem to have lines drawn in the sand. if i devote my current coop to the orpingtons and build something quick and small for the bantams (and cheap) what are the odds they'll split and roost seperately? i can physically move them at first to train the bantams to the new coop if need be. i don't want them to cram into one as they'll get too hot and id like to prevent any aggression due to overcrowding. its possible i could expand my current coop which would solve the problem but i'm not sure i'm willing to try and would have to get a friend out to help me. also, if by chance one of the blues ends up a rooster, is this much too small of a flock for him and the bantam rooster to coexist?
I think it'd be more doable if the new orps were given their own coop. I think the ones that are use to the existing coop will go back to that coop as long as they have access to it. Or double up the size of your current coop - take out the back or side wall and just extend???
I think this current coop would be somewhat easy to expand (says the girl that didn't make it) but i might have a hard time having my friend come out and help with that (depending on his schedule). I'd attempt it myself but don't want to leave them without a coop for the night if i hit a snag...although in this weather i guess i could fashion up a big plastic dog crate which would do just fine temporarily. Maybe i'm anthropomorphising the situation but i think the 3 little bantams would LOVE a little coop of their own. It might take a few days (or weeks?) of moving them, but they're no dummies, they'd catch on...maybe? I feel a little coop is a project i can tackle on my own while expanding the existing coop will take outside help. I'll make a little bantam coop if i can't get the current one expanded in time. Chickens are so addictive. One random add for blue orps on craigslist (after searching high and low) and i just had to snag the last two.
IMO Chickens are creatures of habit. I think separate coops could work, but it's going to take time and patience. The hardest thing will to break those that you no longer want to use the existing coop. Here's what I'd do. Once you've build your new coop, separate both groups according to which ones you want in the respective coops. Don't let them mingle together until their new digs are imprinted on them. You might have to use treats to lure those using the new coop. After a period, maybe two-three weeks, you can try and let them mingle and see if they go to their respective coop. Worth a try.
