I recently had a new large 4 X 8 ft coop with 6 X 12 ft covered run built and it should be ready for the girls in another 2 weeks after painting and 'de-fuming' is completed.
My situation is that I have a flock of 8 pullets(?) just beginning their egg laying stage (30 weeks old) who have been in a temp. coop for about 8 weeks now. I also have 6 new chicks and 4 guineas, about 9 weeks old, who have outgrown their brooder and are in a makeshift larger run outside covered partially on 3 sides for protection from rain/wind/drafts/predators (they are fully feathered but one of them is a bantam silkie who is very much smaller than the other 9 brooder/run mates). When the new coop is ready, I would like to possibly integrate them to the new coop together as one flock? Put the younger ones in first and then the older pullets? Or vice versa? OR.........???
Any suggestions would be so very helpful as I do not want any of them injured or killed in the transition.
My situation is that I have a flock of 8 pullets(?) just beginning their egg laying stage (30 weeks old) who have been in a temp. coop for about 8 weeks now. I also have 6 new chicks and 4 guineas, about 9 weeks old, who have outgrown their brooder and are in a makeshift larger run outside covered partially on 3 sides for protection from rain/wind/drafts/predators (they are fully feathered but one of them is a bantam silkie who is very much smaller than the other 9 brooder/run mates). When the new coop is ready, I would like to possibly integrate them to the new coop together as one flock? Put the younger ones in first and then the older pullets? Or vice versa? OR.........???
Any suggestions would be so very helpful as I do not want any of them injured or killed in the transition.