integration

[adstowe]

I unintentionally ended up with more chickens than what my coop realistically should house. I lost some to a predator, bought new chicks to replace them and then added a couple of 1 Y/O while waiting on the chicks to grow. Everything went fine till I added in the 3 pullets (the chicks). The easter eggers blended right in, but my solo barred rock is an outcast. My roo and 5 other hens are comfortable in the coop that gives them about 3 square feet per bird. The barred rock won't roost in there with them. I understand space is an issue and have rigged her up temporary shelter that she's content to use in the run. The others want nothing to do with her (including the 2 EE who were brooded with her). Even free ranging they won't let her join in the group. She's been shunned. My kid and me are refurbishing my old coop for my 6 that are currently in the brooder and when it's done I intend to attach it to the current run and just have two coops with 1 run. They free range anyway. The run is simply a means of securing things at night and a just in case measure for the times where free ranging might not be a good idea. The current flock doesn't seek her out to pick on her. They just refuse to let her near their group. My thoughts are to try and incorporate her into this new sub-flock once they are ready to move into their coop. Sort of a 2nd chance at fitting in somewhere. I figure if they are still young enough to be non threatening (they will of course have areas to escape her if she tries to be to aggressive with them) that maybe them growing up with her will will sort of bond them into a flock of their own, with her included. Does this sound feasible? Has anyone tried something similar to this? The new (old) coop will allow about 6 1/2 feet per hen for her and the new chicks (coop only. Not counting run)

 

[PD-Riverman]

I unintentionally ended up with more chickens than what my coop realistically should house. I lost some to a predator, bought new chicks to replace them and then added a couple of 1 Y/O while waiting on the chicks to grow. Everything went fine till I added in the 3 pullets (the chicks). The easter eggers blended right in, but my solo barred rock is an outcast. My roo and 5 other hens are comfortable in the coop that gives them about 3 square feet per bird. The barred rock won't roost in there with them. I understand space is an issue and have rigged her up temporary shelter that she's content to use in the run. The others want nothing to do with her (including the 2 EE who were brooded with her). Even free ranging they won't let her join in the group. She's been shunned. My kid and me are refurbishing my old coop for my 6 that are currently in the brooder and when it's done I intend to attach it to the current run and just have two coops with 1 run. They free range anyway. The run is simply a means of securing things at night and a just in case measure for the times where free ranging might not be a good idea. The current flock doesn't seek her out to pick on her. They just refuse to let her near their group. My thoughts are to try and incorporate her into this new sub-flock once they are ready to move into their coop. Sort of a 2nd chance at fitting in somewhere. I figure if they are still young enough to be non threatening (they will of course have areas to escape her if she tries to be to aggressive with them) that maybe them growing up with her will will sort of bond them into a flock of their own, with her included. Does this sound feasible? Has anyone tried something similar to this? The new (old) coop will allow about 6 1/2 feet per hen for her and the new chicks (coop only. Not counting run)

Might work---just give it a shot. Do you feed/water/nesting boxes in the coop or they just roost in the coop at night? If they just roost you can throw that Sqft "law" out the door. I have been raising chickens over 1/2 a century and no chicken needs 3sgft just to roost. Mine because of "step" roost at times get less than 1sgft just to roost and do perfectly fine, BUT my coop it well vented so I don't get a lot of heat build. One of my coops is about 55sqft and I house 75 to 80 a lot of times with room on the roost for more. But again They only roost and no feed/water or nesting boxes inside.

Just for info, If I have a shunned chicken the flock does not accept(I do try different things first)----it goes to the Chicken Auction.

 

[adstowe]

Might work---just give it a shot. Do you feed/water/nesting boxes in the coop or they just roost in the coop at night? If they just roost you can throw that Sqft "law" out the door. I have been raising chickens over 1/2 a century and no chicken needs 3sgft just to roost. Mine because of "step" roost at times get less than 1sgft just to roost and do perfectly fine, BUT my coop it well vented so I don't get a lot of heat build. One of my coops is about 55sqft and I house 75 to 80 a lot of times with room on the roost for more. But again They only roost and no feed/water or nesting boxes inside.

The nesting boxes are in the coop (but not part of the SQ foot calculations). The food and water is outside. They only go in there to roost and use the nesting boxes. Otherwise they free range all day.

 

[PD-Riverman]

The nesting boxes are in the coop (but not part of the SQ foot calculations). The food and water is outside. They only go in there to roost and use the nesting boxes. Otherwise they free range all day.

You will get some that will say you got to have x amount per sqft per chicken---LOL, but my chickens tell me different. Why would I need 50sgft to house 15 or so chickens that ALL roost on one pole and leave 5 more roost empty----they Don't and I don't pay that sgft law any attention, never have. It was probably written by someone that has never had a chicken?? LOL

But always keep in mind chickens put off heat----you got to have their coop well vented during the warmer parts of the year.

 

[adstowe]

My thing with coop space is more related to the fact that there isn't enough room in there for her to be inside and feel like she is keeping an appropriate distance from them. Not so much about meeting a magic SQ FT number. In the current coop the accepted members of the group are perfectly content. They squeeze together and waste space. There's just not enough room for her to be an outcast and still be inside without encroaching on "their" area.

 

[PD-Riverman]

My thing with coop space is more related to the fact that there isn't enough room in there for her to be inside and feel like she is keeping an appropriate distance from them. Not so much about meeting a magic SQ FT number. In the current coop the accepted members of the group are perfectly content. They squeeze together and waste space. There's just not enough room for her to be an outcast and still be inside without encroaching on "their" area.

I have been raising chickens like I said a LONG time---I have seen quiet a few Out-cast that are picked on in the last 50+ years. If I have no where to put her----she goes to the Auction quick before she gets Torn up. If one gets into a pecking fight with her and she starts bleeding----when you are not there----bad things can happen when they start bleeding. She might get along good with the others in the new coop.

 

[adstowe]

I have been raising chickens like I said a LONG time---I have seen quiet a few Out-cast that are picked on in the last 50+ years. If I have no where to put her----she goes to the Auction quick before she gets Torn up. If one gets into a pecking fight with her and she starts bleeding----when you are not there----bad things can happen when they start bleeding. She might get along good with the others in the new coop.

They don't really pick on her. If she tries to join the group one will peck at her and run her off. Then they go about their business and she just hangs out by the coop. They aren't physically aggressive. They just chose to accept the 2 EE and she didn't make the cut. I don't know. I'm going to try and integrate her with this new group when they're ready and hope it works out. If not I'll rehome her. I know plenty of people with chickens and a sweet barred rock that has been laying about 2 months is more than easy to find a home for. It's worth noting that even the roo will throw a peck her way to keep her distance and he is active with the other girls and she is of breeding age.

 

[PD-Riverman]

They don't really pick on her. If she tries to join the group one will peck at her and run her off. Then they go about their business and she just hangs out by the coop.

They will probably grow out of that. I can not remember---do you have a rooster? I had to put a hen back with the flock that had hatched some chicks and she raised the chicks privately for a few weeks so she was away from them for maybe 2 months. When I put her back----the Boss hen jumped on her, I grabbed the Boss and put her in Jail/cage. Shortly another hen jumped on her----in the jail she went. I let the returning hen get back in with the rooster for a few days then I put the second jailed hen back in the pen---everything was fine----a couple days later I put the boss hen back in----she kinds realized she had lost her place in the pecking order when she jumped at the returning hen and that hen jumped back. Everything was fine after that.

 

[adstowe]

They will probably grow out of that. I can not remember---do you have a rooster? I had to put a hen back with the flock that had hatched some chicks and she raised the chicks privately for a few weeks so she was away from them for maybe 2 months. When I put her back----the Boss hen jumped on her, I grabbed the Boss and put her in Jail/cage. Shortly another hen jumped on her----in the jail she went. I let the returning hen get back in with the rooster for a few days then I put the second jailed hen back in the pen---everything was fine----a couple days later I put the boss hen back in----she kinds realized she had lost her place in the pecking order when she jumped at the returning hen and that hen jumped back. Everything was fine after that.

I do have a rooster (well, a cockeral. He's probably just shy of a year). He doesn't want anything to do with her either. Quite possible that the dynamics are all going to change now anyway. My lead hen appears to have gone missing today. She's nowhere to be found. There are no feathers or signs of something attacking her. She just vanished. I don't know if maybe a coyote snatched her up and ran off with her... If she doesn't show back up the pecking order will change and maybe the barred rock will be more accepted.