Integrate all my chickens at once in new coop?

[Leigti]

I will post pictures when I get home tonight. The coop itself is 4 x 8, nest boxes, food and water on the outside. The run is 4x20. Would a temporary lower roost work? I have three roosts that are all at the same height, 4 feet long each. I plan on free ranging them all together when supervised over the next week. They've been housed next to each other for about three weeks now.

 

[junebuggena]

I will post pictures when I get home tonight. The coop itself is 4 x 8, nest boxes, food and water on the outside. The run is 4x20. Would a temporary lower roost work? I have three roosts that are all at the same height, 4 feet long each. I plan on free ranging them all together when supervised over the next week. They've been housed next to each other for about three weeks now.

Both the coop and run are too small for integrating 9 birds. Your dimensions are pretty tight quarters for a peaceful, established flock; and you are going to try to use it as an integration space? Just consider yourself warned. When trying to merge flocks, you need space. LOTS of space. Beyond the minimum 4 sq ft of coop and 10 sq ft of run. You don't even have that. You need more room to do want you want to do.

 

[AllynTal]

... Would a temporary lower roost work?...

No, the different height roosts need to be permanent. Even after the integration, there will always be a pecking order and the birds higher in the pecking order want the higher roosts. If you make Her Highness and her entourage have to roost alongside the peasants, there will never be harmony.

 

[Pork Pie]

... Would a temporary lower roost work?...

No, the different height roosts need to be permanent. Even after the integration, there will always be a pecking order and the birds higher in the pecking order want the higher roosts. If you make Her Highness and her entourage have to roost alongside the peasants, there will never be harmony.

I respect and appreciate your opinion but it's not my experience with my flock. All my roosts are now on the same level but they were not in the past. Different chickens used to occupy the higher roost on a nightly basis - did not seem to matter who was there. We all have different experiences however and my alpha hen is not pushy, so that may be why. Flock dynamics seem to be quite different across the board from what I read, so there's no right or wrong.

Ct

 

[Leigti]

Thank you for your responses. Keep the comments and suggestions coming. I will consider all of the advice. First-hand experience is the best and most helpful experience. My plans are not set in stone.

 

[Leigti]

Would it be better to just put the older ones in there for now and try to integrate the three younger ones in a month or two?

 

[Pork Pie]

It probably would - at least you would be going into "known territory". But as I mentioned before, you don't know until you try. Having this option as a plan B and preparing in advance for that eventuality could be worth considering.

Ct

 

[junebuggena]

Would it be better to just put the older ones in there for now and try to integrate the three younger ones in a month or two?

Your coop/run is just big enough for 8, and only if the weather is 100% storm/heavy weather free, all year long. If the run isn't roofed, and the coop is the only shelter it's too small for more than about 5.

 

[Leigti]

They will only be locked up in the run and coop for the first week or two. If I don't keep the other ones in the old smaller coop I will cover it all up with a tarp. The coop will basically be for laying the eggs and sleeping at night. They will be free roaming the yard after the initial "getting used to the new digs". Eight was my goal, but I got an extra one in case something happened because I didn't want to end up with a single chick to try to integrate. Well, all three are healthy and I think they are female so I won't be getting rid of any. They have the entire floor space of the coop because the roofs are above it and the nest box is outside of it. Part of the run is under the coop and the rest is under a tree, there is no roof on the run. There are numerous big bushes and places in the yard to get out of the sun or the weather.

 

[Leigti]

I've gone through and reviewed the answers I've received so far. Lots of good information and suggestions. I thought about putting the older ones in the new coop and run first but maybe it would be better to put the three younger ones in there for a week or so by themselves. That way they would at least be familiar with it when the others came along. The others would be free ranging all around it during the day. I am going to be dismantling my Jerry rig set up completely once everybody is moved to the new coop. Hopefully this will help them know that they are in a new place and not try to find the old one.
I put the younger ones in a pen next to the others at night but them out in the yard during the day when the big ones are free ranging. All the chickens go up to the little ones and I haven't known any aggression except a couple will flare out their wings a little bit. One of the hens really seems to like or at least be interested in the smaller ones. She will spend most of her time by their pin. Does this mean she likes or dislikes them? Maybe I'm reading her wrong. She does not pick at them or raise her wings at them.

Here's a picture from a couple weeks ago.