is this a good idea or a bad idea?

[amarook]

There is a person in the city advertising that they need to find a home for their hens. They have 9 dual purpose birds. They arewhite/gold wyandotte, australorp, and barred rock available.
They state that they are a year old and "still laying".

I have 10 2 week old RIRs.

So it's going to be a long time before I'm getting eggs from these guys.

Would it be a bad idea to get maybe 4 of these birds to get started with my egg production?

And if I did get them, how would I go about introducing the chicks to these hens?

The chicks are inside now. We are converting a shed into a coop with a run. It will be 8'X8' of space inside the "coop" area. Plus we are going to have a brooder area.

Is that enough space for that many chickens?

Thank you all!

 

[Dar]

a coop that is only 8' X 8' is not big enough for your 20 RIR...

so I would not advise getting the new birds...the "new" birds are quite a bit older too they will pick on and maybe even kill your 2 week old babies...

I could be wrong but I think for mature birds you want at least 4square feet PER bird...but I am sure someone will come along and correct me...lol

check this link out for requirements
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=2132

 

[amarook]

OPPS! typo! I have 10 RIRs.

I would never put them directly with the new hens while they are small. They would be in the separate brooding area.

I will check on those requirements. Thanks!

 

[EngieKisses]

Your coop should be fine, however, in order to introduce the new chicks with the older, they would have to be about the same size, and then you still have a chance of the older killing the younger.

We are turning our flock this summer, and most of the hens I have now will be going, and the new taking their place, but there are still a few that will be staying, but this is will be a slow introduction, and they will all be the same size when they become mixed.

 

[amarook]

I'm mostly interested in the Australorps.

Maybe I should have my bf build a separate smaller coop if I get the australorps, since there are more of the RIRs. Then I can have the RIRs in the big coop and keep them separate till they are bigger.

hmmm... ponders... how to get BF to do MORE building. lol

 

[Judy]

4 sq ft per bird in coop, and 10 sq ft per bird in run.

RIR's are not usually tolerant, of people or new birds. RIR roo's are notorius.

Try what you want but be warned.