Introducing two pullets to existing flock of 4

[ash_en_em]

Might want to put the EE's in the main coop/run while the Aussies are out ranging,
let them get the lay of the land(coop) unharassed.

Got plans to keep water thawed?

Bring out fresh every day (twice if needed). My husband is worried about fire and there's obviously no electric or to the coop.

I want to try to talk to him about a heated dog bowl and running an extension cord to it, but I don't know how much safer that is than other methods

 

[aart]

I want to try to talk to him about a heated dog bowl and running an extension cord to it, but I don't know how much safer that is than other methods

Any electric in a coop can be dangerous, depends on how it is set up.

 

[ash_en_em]

Do you have any recommendations? @aart

 

[aart]

Do you have any recommendations? @aart

I don't have any recommendations (as I am not an electrician) except to be careful.
Keep all connections dry and dust free.
Can tell you how I do it:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/coop-indoor-lighting-help.1278072/#post-20574460

 

[Mrs. K]

I would pull your feed and water outside of the coop. Where that is now, I would set up another roost. Away from the other roosts. To me, the way you have it set up, the roosts are too close together, and a lower bird would be close enough to be pecked pretty badly and no place else to go. The urge to roost is so strong, that often birds will stay roosted and take the pecking.

And while I am redesigning your coop I would move the roosts a bit farther out into the room, away from the wall. Moisture will condense on that wall, and your birds would be drier a bit further away. If you built the roost kitty corner, you could have a much longer roosting bar. Which with more birds could help the situation.


Try letting your big girls out, and then locking the littles in the set up. It allows them to explore it, without getting chased. Then just before dark, let the others in.

As for frozen water, use rubber black bowls, found in feed stores. If you get two, fill one, next morning when frozen solid, flip it upside down, fill the second bowl. If it is a sunny day, the upside down bowl will absorb enough heat that the ice block will fall out. If not a sunny day, you can stomp it out.

I don't have electricity to my coop, and so no lights and no heated water. If I have young birds, I get a few eggs all winter. And by the end January, they are going full tilt again, it is just November and December that are a little thin.

Mrs K

 

[ash_en_em]

UPDATE

For the past three days just before dark I would put the two EEs in a wire dog cage inside the coop (with a roost bar) and let them stay there until the sun was coming up and I let out the 4 big girls to free range. It would give the EEs a chance to explore and get used to the new place, and also give each hen a chance for some one on one time with the EEs as they came in and out of the nest boxes to lay.

My head hen didn't care that they were there at all. Second in pecking order didn't care either. My two blue Aussies are on the bottom of things and cared a bit more, but after these few days if waking up they seemed more accepting to the idea.

Today I put them in the cage (with food and water) in the run and left everyone locked up to get to know each other better for several hours during the day. After time was up, I let everyone out together to free range. The EEs understandably kept their distance, but tonight everyone went into the coop and are now peacefully roosted and sleeping together.

There was a bit of pecking, but my head hen happily cuddled up to the little EEs. The only changes I made to their area was add a roost bar in the run and some hiding places for the EEs to escape when they felt threatened.

I'm so happy everyone seems to be doing well, and fingers crossed things go well in the morning & tomorrow night. I'll be walking up with the sunrise to be sure so the girls are still ok.

Thanks for the help everyone, and if anything changes I'll keep you posted!