Making room for new fluffy butts - think it'll work?

[gritsar]

Due to an unforseen rise in my medical expenses this year I've had to revise my spring chick plans. My original plan was to add a second coop in March and order chicks in April, like I did before. Now it's clear that the earliest I can afford another coop is September, 2010.
DH and I have come up with a plan to add some chickens and I'm thinking it will work.
We've identified an small-ish unused area in my coop where we can install a wood and chicken wire section for the new additions. The plan is to order chicks for delivery in early May. We can brood the new chicks in DH's harley shed for the first week and then move them, their brooder and heat lamps to the screened porch. This worked well for us last time. Once they are off of their heat lamp, we can move them to the area we'll create in my current coop. They'll be with the vultures (aka brahmas) but seperate.
Once the brahmas go out to free range each day I can take the chicks out to a "playpen" to enjoy the outdoors on nice days.
By the time they are four, maybe five months old we should have their new coop ready.
This plan means that I won't be able to order as many chicks as I wanted; maybe 10-12 instead of 30. It also means I'll have to wait on turkeys until after we have the second coop.

Anyone see any flaws with this plan?

 

[gritsar]

I forgot to mention that we won't be brooding the newcomers in the coop because we don't want to run electricity out there and the danger of a heat lamp around my big birds.

 

[farmin'chick]

The only problem I foresee is having to reduce from 30 to a dozen! Sounds workable otherwise.

 

[gritsar]

farmin'chick :

The only problem I foresee is having to reduce from 30 to a dozen! Sounds workable otherwise.

Yeah that is a problem. That and the fact that if the harley shed is being used for my chicks the harley has to go somewhere. I just hope that somewhere is not my living room.

 

[Marlinchaser]

two questions

1)what are you planning to order? (Please tell me it will be full sized, and not some foo foo chicken wanna bes)
2)is the current coop big enough to accomodate 10-12 additional birds?

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Okay, I won't tell you that I'm including a few silkies in my order

No super-sized birds in the new flock.
Yes, it could accomadate them; especially since the flock free ranges all day. The coop is empty all day long except for hens taking care of business. I just don't want to upset the current order of things by asking the brahmas to get used to new roommates permanently.

 

[Marlinchaser]

Quote:
Okay, I won't tell you that I'm including a few silkies in my order

No super-sized birds in the new flock.
Yes, it could accomadate them; especially since the flock free ranges all day. The coop is empty all day long except for hens taking care of business. I just don't want to upset the current order of things by asking the brahmas to get used to new roommates permanently.

I was gonna suggest just mixing with the current flock. But I know any selfrespecting Brahma would have nothing to do with a Silkie, so that may not work.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Okay, I won't tell you that I'm including a few silkies in my order

No super-sized birds in the new flock.
Yes, it could accomadate them; especially since the flock free ranges all day. The coop is empty all day long except for hens taking care of business. I just don't want to upset the current order of things by asking the brahmas to get used to new roommates permanently.

I was gonna suggest just mixing with the current flock. But I know any selfrespecting Brahma would have nothing to do with a Silkie, so that may not work.

At some point they will be mixed with the current flock, since all will be free ranging together. If I can find a breed that I really like that that isnt froo froo but is almost guaranteed to go broody, I might nix the silkie idea.
I HAVE GOT TO HAVE A BROODY
My brahmas are so self-respecting that they think motherhood is beneath them

 

[Happy Chooks]

You buy a silkie and all your girls are gonna get mad and go broody!

Sounds like your plan will work fine. Hope you don't have any hawks with those free ranging silkies.

 

[gritsar]

If I can order from the hatchery I want to with my small order, instead of having to go to my pet chicken, I will probably order dorkings and leave the silkies out.
Happy now, MC?