Need advice on flock expansion

[Mrs. K]

Looking at your run, this is what I would do. I would add a large piece of cardboard to one side of that silver ladder - platform thingy. I would put that in the middle of the run. Then I would add some roosts from the top of that out to the side of the run. I would put the two feed stations, one on each side of the cardboard.

Then I would add the two hens. Rearranging will make it look strange to everyone. And you could let the two original birds out into the yard, put the new ones in the run/coop. Near dark, let the old ones in, they will go to roost. If the new ones don't follow them, and they might not, because your coop is very tight. Put them in a dog crate for the night.

A picture can be deceiving - but it looks like the coop is tight. You might tape a piece of cardboard so that it divides the roost into two spots. Then at night physically put the old birds on one side, the new birds on the other. Instead of lining up the roost parallel with the walls of the coop, you can actually get a bit more space if you run the roost kitty corner. The hypotenuse is longer than either leg of the right triangle.

Depending on what part of the world you are in, the ventilation and space is going to be very tough. Depending on climate, birds, and luck, it might be too tight for four birds.

Mrs K

 

[Murphyfail]

Looking at your run, this is what I would do. I would add a large piece of cardboard to one side of that silver ladder - platform thingy. I would put that in the middle of the run. Then I would add some roosts from the top of that out to the side of the run. I would put the two feed stations, one on each side of the cardboard.

Then I would add the two hens. Rearranging will make it look strange to everyone. And you could let the two original birds out into the yard, put the new ones in the run/coop. Near dark, let the old ones in, they will go to roost. If the new ones don't follow them, and they might not, because your coop is very tight. Put them in a dog crate for the night.

A picture can be deceiving - but it looks like the coop is tight. You might tape a piece of cardboard so that it divides the roost into two spots. Then at night physically put the old birds on one side, the new birds on the other. Instead of lining up the roost parallel with the walls of the coop, you can actually get a bit more space if you run the roost kitty corner. The hypotenuse is longer than either leg of the right triangle.

Depending on what part of the world you are in, the ventilation and space is going to be very tough. Depending on climate, birds, and luck, it might be too tight for four birds.

Mrs K

Thank you for such an awesome response! Those are some great suggestions. My older hen has never been into roosting, she sleeps in the hen house. The pullet loves the roost bar though, which is what the silver/gray structure is.

I had 5 hens in there initially and it was tight, 4 I think is the perfect number. They all have full access to my yard from sun up to sun down so they spend pretty minimal time in the run. Our yard is full of bushes and such.

I'll add more hide spots in there for them.

Thank you!
Thank you!