Multiple coops owners ...

[Debby in france]

Hi,

I am thinking of getting a second coop and hubby has asked that as flock birds will they all go to the same coop?

I have this image of 12 hens squeezing, rather inelligently, into one coop when another sits empty,

How does this work ?
Is it touch and go ?
Does it depend on which coop has the Prosecco ?

I am, of course, assuming both coops are the same.

Thanks for your input,

 

[Mrs. K]

I do not know what others do. I made my second coop bigger, that is for my laying flock. The old coop, I use to separate grow out roosters or meat birds. Same hobby different aspects.

I have read, where others do have younger birds use one coop/ older birds use the other.

Mrs K

 

[Farmgirl1878]

If all of the birds have the same access to both coops, they’ll figure out where they want to sleep and go to their preferred coop at dusk. They may even switch off - some nights sleeping with the group in the original coop and other nights sleeping in the new digs...

 

[Kessel23]

Mine usually all pick the same coop. In the past I have locked birds in the second coop for a few days before letting them free range. They returned to the coop they were used to roosting in. Right now I am not letting them free range. It is still winter here.

 

[pineapple416]

As far as my hens...
We have three coops for about 20 hens. One coop is very small with a run for one of our Serama hens so she doesn't get eaten by cats or predators. We have a second smaller coop that we designed mostly for the bantams, but usually 12-14 hens squeeze themselves into it each night. The last coop is larger and has the capacity to hold over 12 hens, but usually only 6 end up sleeping in there.
It is great to have two main coops though, recently our smaller coop's door broke so we put them all in the big coop at night so they were safe.
I definitely recommend having two coops so there is more space for them to sleep, lay eggs, and for other reasons like this.

 

[Shadrach]

Hi,

I am thinking of getting a second coop and hubby has asked that as flock birds will they all go to the same coop?

I have this image of 12 hens squeezing, rather inelligently, into one coop when another sits empty,

How does this work ?
Is it touch and go ?
Does it depend on which coop has the Prosecco ?

I am, of course, assuming both coops are the same.

Thanks for your input,

I have multiple coops.
It's not the number of coops that determines their usage imo, it's the number of roosters per hen you have. Each competing rooster here uses a coop with the hens that will follow him.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/shadrach’s-multi-coops.74344/

 

[Debby in france]

Ah!

As I thought !

Random !

Many thanks for your advice, now to work on the hubby to let me have a second omlet cube

 

[GC-Raptor]

I have read, where others do have younger birds use one coop/ older birds use the other.

This is what I do. Hens in my first coop and Pullets in the new coop.
Each coop has its own pen. GC

 

[centrarchid]

I run the multiple coop bit. Following procedure is used for three coops / pens that physically attached to each other. Each coop is stocked with a group of hens, juveniles, or a harem and not allowed out for a few days at least. Then one group only is allowed late in the day after I get home from work. In most instances the released birds go back to their respective pen. The next day another group is released in a similar, and so on. At first I do not release all at once. After all going back then I try releasing all at once. Roosters do play an important role.

Two additional coops are spread at least 50 yards from the others. I can release all at once after a few days with much less drift between pens.

 

[Perris]

mine behave like Farmgirl1878's. They form one flock as soon as they're let out again in the morning so good luck persuading your OH @Debby in france