Long post plz HELP Integration help with situations I’m not experienced in!

[Skswen]

Hello all,

-*Scroll to bottom for just questions no background*

This will be my third set chickens. This time though I’m in a situation that I have no experience in! Going to try to make this as short as possible but also provide some background information that might be important.
- My OG (first ten will be 2 in January) I raised in my house for the winter all mix breeds. Everything was pretty easy besides learning the ins and outs of basic chicken keeping.
- Last fall I got sucked in seeing only a few chicks left at local feed store.
- we had to build a new coop (mansion) to fit them all. The coop was safe but needed more work so at the deadline blocked off a section inside coop and added the ten. My OGs stayed at the top of the pecking order kinda got rude lol.
- Got 8 more chicks end of April this year 2 bantams ( I believe Brahmas) Lost one very early on.
- June lost my first chicken as a storm was coming in- following weekend lost 4 more went through cams it was a fox attack, flick needed to reestablish and also had two come into sick bay.

Today/ currently: found out two of 7 chicks I had were cockerels but I already invested so much and decided to at least keep Bear my sweet boy but ended up keeping both because I couldn’t find a home for OWL. I have a temp Coop/run inside the main run.

So here are my questions figured the background might be helpful as to why I’m nervous and also not experienced.

1. All the 7 chicks (approaching 16 weeks so not that little) get along just fine I see some small appropriate pecking in the group. How do I handle having 15 full grown some very large hens and 4 pullets with one tiny bantam?

2. I have decided if I want the Roos to have their own little add on in the coop to provided correct food and protect my hens. Any suggestions?

3. One cockerel my favorite Bear is definitely the main guardian over their group. If I start bringing the girls in the main coop slowly and out of their area will he have a hard time adjusting, with this cause him to be mad, cause tension with the other boy? Basically what to do????

15 hens recently attacked, ONE bantam pullet, 4 EE pullets, 2 boys!! Help!! I don’t want the bantam to get hurt, don’t want the boys going nuts in fact idk what to even do with them haha. Please help me with any advice!

I’m so very sorry for the lengthy post!!

 

[aart]

Give dimensions of coop and run.
...and pics of it all.

 

[Skswen]

Give dimensions of coop and run.
...and pics of it all.

Our main coop is 14’ L x 8 ‘ W it has a slanted roof 11’ H to 8b’ H slant across the 8’ wide span. The run is approximately 450 sq feet. We are thinking we are going to add an addition to the right side where a window flaps open and close, remove the hardware cloth covering it. This way the boys would have their own spot to eat and if the girls needs a break in winter they still have a save warm place to go.

Here are some pictures thank you for taking the time to respond and ask. I wanted to give background because I feel it’s not just an ordinary integration in addition to having no knowledge of cockerels or our single cute bantam.

Here are some pictures at various stages of building. Lmk if you have any further questions. Thank you again so very much for even taking the time to look at the post and responding. I’m kind of lost what to do. I’ve tried to research I can’t find much on roosters. Thank you.

 

[Mrs. K]

Bantams often times just do not fair well in a large fowl flock. I see a little prefab coop inside the run? That is where I would put that chicken, fenced off from the flock, but not alone, she will be able to see the flock, just not be murdered by them.

Having a place to separate the roosters until the pullets start laying is probably a good idea. With the older hens there, you might not have to separate them at all. However, just because they are getting along today - is no indicator how tomorrow might go. Cockerels and Roosters are tricky, IMO one needs some experience, and a sharp knife. A lot of roosters can get very ugly, and they were generally darlings at first.

I would not separate the roosters unless I need to. Aggression towards pullets is reason to pull them. If the older hens thump on them, that is good. Teaches them some manners. Feed them either chick feed or all flock feed, and oyster shell on the side.

I know you want to keep both cockerels, but at least know that it may not be possible. The more roosters you have, the greater the chance of it going wrong.

Mrs K

 

[Skswen]

Bantams often times just do not fair well in a large fowl flock. I see a little prefab coop inside the run? That is where I would put that chicken, fenced off from the flock, but not alone, she will be able to see the flock, just not be murdered by them.

Having a place to separate the roosters until the pullets start laying is probably a good idea. With the older hens there, you might not have to separate them at all. However, just because they are getting along today - is no indicator how tomorrow might go. Cockerels and Roosters are tricky, IMO one needs some experience, and a sharp knife. A lot of roosters can get very ugly, and they were generally darlings at first.

I would not separate the roosters unless I need to. Aggression towards pullets is reason to pull them. If the older hens thump on them, that is good. Teaches them some manners. Feed them either chick feed or all flock feed, and oyster shell on the side.

I know you want to keep both cockerels, but at least know that it may not be possible. The more roosters you have, the greater the chance of it going wrong.

Mrs K

I was worried about that I couldn’t find a home for Owl and didn’t want to get him sent to freezer camp, and with the chicken buying crazy this year all sanctuaries I found were full.

The Hens are pecking at the boys- that’s good information thank you!

You suggest separating each boy into own addition/ add on to chicken mansion lol? I could make that work.

As for bantam. I feel so bad her friend died on day one. So you suggest bringing the full size pullets into main coop, separating boys, and keeping bantam separate. How would that work for her in the winter? It’s just some cheap thing I got for misc purposes. I’d be worried she would be cold and lonely. Would she just sleep in there then go out and hang out with the rest of the flock or would i have to keep her separate for Safety almost always? She does great with her little flock but adding the 15 I was scared she could get hurt. Sorry rambling I’m trying to get as much knowledge as I can and honestly their is not many in depth information/ books on keeping Roos ugh

Thank you so much

 

[Mrs. K]

I think good husbandry calls for the owners to solve for peace in the flock. I think you have my answer all mixed up, so I will clarify and question. Not all chickens can live together in peace, and that means you have to let some birds go, well for the peace of the rest of the flock it is a good thing. Some bi

The bantam - If she is being harassed, chased, pecked, missing feathers and has sores or scabs - she needs to be separated from the flock. A lot of people find that it is tricky to mix a single bantam in with a full size flock. If she is holding her own, then leave her with the girls. If the mini coop does not work, she should be re-homed to be with other bantam flocks.

The cockerels are a crap shoot. Some work out, and some do not. Right now, they are darling. Later they may be a nightmare. How they are acting now, is NO indication how they will act when the hormones come in to play. Some become very aggressive to pullets and hens. Some to humans and some fight each other.

You only need to separate them from the flock, in their own separate quarters if they are bothering the hens and pullets. If everything is peaceful, they can stay. But if the get wild, then a bachelors quarters away from the hens can be created, but need quite a bit of space, away and out of sight of the hens. That may not be enough.

So the long and short of it is: If they all get along, keep them all together. If they don't get along, you really need to prepare to let some birds go, until you get a flock that does get along. It is really the only thing you can do, there is no magic trick, that will keep cockerels nice, or bully hens from killing something. People need to change the flock to achieve peace.

Mrs K