Mixed Breeds Question

[beck2am]

Hi! I have ordered my spring batch of chicks from McMurray Hatchery. They will be coming the week of May 30th. I got all pullets of 2 Ancona, 3 Buff Orpington, 3 golden laced wyandottes, 2 RIR, 2 new Hampshire, 3 red stars, and one free unsexed chick. Will they get along with each other as well with my older chickens? I have 8 Americanas (6 F, 2 M), 4 barred rocks, and 6 black Australorp at home now. I will have 9 different breeds. I have an 8 x 12 coop and a 12 x 24 run. They are able to free range too. Is my coop big enough? I plan on building a chicken tractor for the chicks when they are of age to transition to the older chickens. How big should I build it? How many nest boxes do I need? I currently have 6. Thank you for your time! I would appreciate all of the answers.

 

[Bonkerelli]

Hi! I have ordered my spring batch of chicks from McMurray Hatchery. They will be coming the week of May 30th. I got all pullets of 2 Ancona, 3 Buff Orpington, 3 golden laced wyandottes, 2 RIR, 2 new Hampshire, 3 red stars, and one free unsexed chick. Will they get along with each other as well with my older chickens? I have 8 Americanas (6 F, 2 M), 4 barred rocks, and 6 black Australorp at home now. I will have 9 different breeds. I have an 8 x 12 coop and a 12 x 24 run. They are able to free range too. Is my coop big enough? I plan on building a chicken tractor for the chicks when they are of age to transition to the older chickens. How big should I build it? How many nest boxes do I need? I currently have 6. Thank you for your time! I would appreciate all of the answers.

Hello! I have a mixed breed flock.. ranging from Seramas to English Orpingtons. They all get a long. Yet, you should not introduce your new chicks to your existing flock until they're fully feathered. Depending on the attitude of your flock you might have to build a temp. separate area inside the coop so everyone can get use to each other. Usually the rule of thumb is 2-3 square feet per chicken inside the coop. Though if you do have a run plus free ranging you can get away with a smaller coop. 1 nesting box is usually good for 4-6 hens. Just do a little bit a math. Coop: 8x12=96 sq ft 96 / 3=32 You have 18 now, ordered 15.. that is 33 chickens. 4 hens per box you already have 6.. 24 hens can use them. If you want a little bit more room.. you could always do a small addition to the coop. I did that with my coop.

 

[Becky_]

Hi! I as well have a mixed breed flock, and have integrated different ages into it at many times. But when intigrating older chickens with younger chickens they often develop a pecking order. When we integrate our girls with new chickens, we slowly introduce them to each other. A way to do this is to let your younger chickens and older chickens meet many times before putting them together, when you let them meet if possible don't put them in a confined space, this might make your older chickens feel threatened, and might attack the younger ones. Another way to integrate them is to have two side by side coops, and let them see each other on the other side, for about a month before putting them together, so they can see each other, and when you integrate them, they won't be complete strangers, they will have known each other.

 

[beck2am]

Hi! I as well have a mixed breed flock, and have integrated different ages into it at many times. But when intigrating older chickens with younger chickens they often develop a pecking order. When we integrate our girls with new chickens, we slowly introduce them to each other. A way to do this is to let your younger chickens and older chickens meet many times before putting them together, when you let them meet if possible don't put them in a confined space, this might make your older chickens feel threatened, and might attack the younger ones. Another way to integrate them is to have two side by side coops, and let them see each other on the other side, for about a month before putting them together, so they can see each other, and when you integrate them, they won't be complete strangers, they will have known each other.

What breeds do you have? What size chicken tractor would you say should build for 16 chicks. I plan on having the chicken tractor right next to the run so my older chickens will get used to the younger chickens.

 

[Becky_]

What breeds do you have? What size chicken tractor would you say should build for 16 chicks. I plan on having the chicken tractor right next to the run so my older chickens will get used to the younger chickens.

I have a variety of easter Eggers, white leghorns, silkies, Rhode Island reds, buff orpington, Dominiques and americanos. For 16 chicks, you should build a chicken tractor of about 40-50 feet for young chicks, but if you plan on letting them grow in there 64 feet might be better.

 

[beck2am]

So 8x8 tractor? Do any of your girls fight?

 

[Becky_]

So 8x8 tractor? Do any of your girls fight

sometimes, but hardly ever. We also free range our girls, which helps prevent fights.