Thanks for the insight... Looks like I may need to add another enclosure? It is possible that I can enclose the area directly under the coop to add a 1st story coop, so there would be two separate 4x6 safe spaces. There is 3 ft of clearance under it the way it is now so it's already framed in and definitely doable. I can see how 10 birds would get cramped, if having to rush in for a thunderstorm or possum.
That being said, as far as coop training the younger chicks when it's time, it may not be a bad idea for them to have separate roosts in a separated coop so the older birds routine isn't disturbed. It'll be about another month before they're ready, and who knows how long before LOs would be ready. That also gives me time to build the other "half" of the coop!
When integrating birds they definitely need separate enclosures at first so the big birds don't abuse(or kill) the new birds.
Birds living together form a unit or flock, when you add other bird in with them they see it as an invasion of their territory and respond by defending said territory.
They can be vicious and can even get bloody, its hard to watch even if you're not forewarned about what can happen, the smaller the space the uglier it can be.
Read up on integration for your future:
Here's some notes I've taken on integration that I found to be very helpful.......
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take what applies or might help and ignore the rest.
See if any of them, or the links provided at the bottom, might offer some tips that will assist you in your situation:
Integration of new chickens into flock:
Consider medical quarantine:
BYC Medical Quarantine Article
Poultry Biosecurity
BYC 'medical quarantine' search
Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.
Integrating new birds of equal size works best.
For smaller chicks I used a large wire dog crate right in the coop for the smallers. I removed the crate door and put up a piece of wire fencing over the opening and bent up one corner just enough for the smallers to fit thru but the biggers could not. Feed and water inside the crate for the smallers. Make sure the smallers know how to get in and out of the crate opening before exposing them to the olders. this worked out great for me, by the time the crate was too small for the them to roost in there(about 3 weeks), they had pretty much integrated themselves to the olders.
If you have too many smallers to fit in a crate you can partition off part of the coop with a wire wall and make the same openings for smallers escape.
The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.
Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.
Places for the new birds to hide out of line of sight and/or up and away from any bully birds.
Read up on integration..... BYC advanced search>titles only>
integration
This is good place to start reading:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/adding-to-your-flock
