Introducing new chickens- need another coop?

[efgal]

Hello! For various reasons, I went from 5 hens to 2 over a few months. I’d really like to have more than 2, so I was thinking of getting maybe 3 more. My current girls are about 10-1/2 months old. I don’t want to start with peeps, I would get pullets (or possibly ones even closer in age to my current ones, from a friend). I’ve been reading through the threads trying to see how to do this, but just not really seeing what I want to know. Though some people have said they introduce them right away, most say you need to give them some time to get to know each other without actually being able to touch each other. So, how does one actually do that, practically speaking? I have a nice big run, and I suppose I could divide that into two areas. But I only have one coop. Do I need to add on to my coop so they can both go inside at night, and eventually open it up to be one big space for all? Or figure out some way to divide my coop and add another pop door, pull out the divider later? It’s already plenty big enough for at least 6 chickens, I don’t need it even bigger, in the long run. So, how do you all do this? Thanks!

 

[azygous]

I wrote this article showing how I integrate an older chicken into the flock. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/introducing-a-single-hen-to-an-existing-flock.71997/ It would work for multiple chickens.

How large is your coop? If it's one of those doll house size coops, you would definitely need another one. Chickens require around four square feet of coop space per chicken. In the run, they need ten square feet per bird.

If your coop is at minimum 25 square feet (not counting nest boxes), say around 5' x 5' you might be able to squeeze in five chickens.

 

[Ridgerunner]

You see different things because different things work. We are all unique. Each flock has its own dynamics based on the personality of the individual members. We have different amounts of room, climates, experiences, tolerances, the list goes on and on. The age and maturity of the chickens involved makes a difference. Sometimes it is as easy as turning them loose together. Sometimes it is a lot more challenging.

If you are going to try just turning them loose you usually need a lot of room. I'm not talking about that 4 square feet in the coop and 10 square feet in the run type of room, I'm talking about enough room to run away from a bully and actually get away, then stay away. I don't know how big your nice big run is. Since you are only talking about five chickens I don't get a great feeling that it is actually that big. The size of the coop is less important as long as they can get outside to the run if they need to.

Integrating immature chickens with mature chickens takes more room than if they are about the same stage of maturity. In your situation I'd look for pullets about the same age as yours, or at least girls that are also laying. That usually works better.

I don't know what you have to work with as far as coop, run, or weather so it's hard to make specific suggestions. So I'll go generic.

most say you need to give them some time to get to know each other without actually being able to touch each other. So, how does one actually do that, practically speaking?

In most cases I think you do need to give them time to get to know each other. Very few people on this forum have the type of room for another approach. From what I see in your post I don't think you have this kind of room.

What you need is a place predator-safe where they can see each other across wire. That could be something made out of chicken wire in a predator-safe coop or in a predator-safe run. The enclosure itself may need to be predator-safe. They need to be protected from weather. What your weather is like will determine what you need. If they are laying eggs you probably want a nest. They don't have to have a roost but giving them a roost higher than the nests might keep them from sleeping and pooping in the nests. And of course they need to eat and drink.

That's all you need that I can think of. How you provide a predator-safe weather -appropriate area where they can see each other depends on what you have to work with. I have a separate coop with its own run across wire from the main run, I use it as a grow-out coop for juveniles. It works great for integration. I have over 3,000 square feet outside where they can roam together. I don't force mine to share a small space until they have shown that they can share a big space. I don't have issues with integration but a lot of people do. Room is not the only key to integration, but I think it is a big part.

 

[Pghelp]

We ended up with 2 coops because someone gifted a coop with a hen they wanted to rehome. I've actually found this worked very well for our small urban setup. When I raised young chicks last year, they all ran in the yard together but they slept in their own coop while the older hens had their own coop to sleep in. This spring my Orpington went broody and I decided to buy day-old chicks. Now she is raising the babies in one coop while the older girls, a combo of one old hen and the grown chicks from last year, sleep together in the other coop. Both are prefab like what you buy online or the big box stores. I thought I wanted a large custom built coop, but the truth is our flock dynamics and numbers are always changing as our girls get older and we bring new ones in. Having 2 coops both in the same run gives us a lot if flexibility and it's working for us.