Need more coop space - will a second coop work?

[Nicky S]

I have 5 nine month old girls and one 9 month old boy, and I have an Eglu coop. Our boy comes inside to sleep at night so as not to wake the neighbors, and the 5 girls (Orpingtons, Australorp, Wyandotte, Austra White) sleep very happily in the coop. It's snug, but they've always slept together and there is no squabbling going on. They have a large run and plenty of free ranging time in the day. Of course now we want to add to the flock, because, well, we can't help but want more , and obviously we don't want any more girls in the Eglu (it says for up to 6 large hens or 10 bantams). I am really happy with the Eglu in terms of ease of maintenance, warmth etc. and would happily get another, but I'm not sure if the new additions will use it or if everyone will try to squish into one coop?! The girls do start off bedtime roosting in their run outside the coop with their guy, and when I bring him in the house I have to lift them down and encourage them to go into the coop, so I wonder whether they wouldn't prefer a more traditional coop and if I'd be better off just getting one large coop for everyone. That said, I would hate for our Eglu to go to waste, and as I said before it's so easy for me to maintain. Many thanks!

 

[mowin]

I would go with one larger coop. I also think your rooster would be happier roosting with his ladies.
I've got two separate coops and flocks. They co mingle when they free range, and my rooster excepted the second flock. He roost with the original flock though.

 

[Nicky S]

I would go with one larger coop. I also think your rooster would be happier roosting with his ladies.
I've got two separate coops and flocks. They co mingle when they free range, and my rooster excepted the second flock. He roost with the original flock though.

Thank you. Oh yes, he would love to stay out with his ladies, but he was an accidental rooster (I ordered 6 girls, got 5 and him) and we’re not supposed to have roosters in my town, so I can’t have him crowing in the early hours. So it’s our compromise - he roosts on the perch with them for a couple of hours and then comes in. Luckily everyone loves his crowing in the daytime so far - they say it’s like the Italian countryside . He’s never gone in the Eglu or shown any interest - he’s a Brahma and I think he honestly doesn’t fit! Before I put up the roosting bar outside the coop he would go to bed behind a bush

 

[mowin]

Thank you. Oh yes, he would love to stay out with his ladies, but he was an accidental rooster (I ordered 6 girls, got 5 and him) and we’re not supposed to have roosters in my town, so I can’t have him crowing in the early hours. So it’s our compromise - he roosts on the perch with them for a couple of hours and then comes in. Luckily everyone loves his crowing in the daytime so far - they say it’s like the Italian countryside . He’s never gone in the Eglu or shown any interest - he’s a Brahma and I think he honestly doesn’t fit! Before I put up the roosting bar outside the coop he would go to bed behind a bush

Hopefully someone that wants to cause a stink doesn't hear your rooster. But I'd venture a guess that it will happen eventually .

 

[Nicky S]

Hopefully someone that wants to cause a stink doesn't hear your rooster. But I'd venture a guess that it will happen eventually .

I’m hoping not, but we’ll cross that bridge if we get to it. Most people don’t actually know you’re not supposed to have them as many neighboring towns allow them.

 

[My Three Chicks]

Hi Nicky S. I think that's wonderful that you have managed to find a way to keep your roo baby. I accidentally ended up with a rooster too and took a lot of effort but found him a nice new home with his own big flock of ladies. But it broke my heart and still does that I had to rehome him. (That's him on my head in my profile pic!)

But I'm actually writing because I also have an Eglu coop with 4 girls (Speckled Sussex, Olive Egger, Dominique, and Red Sex Link). We/they love their coop but I agree I don't think we can fit another one in there...and I'm inevitably going to grow the flock! Would love 2 more at least. I don't have a big yard so can't get too many more.
I've also been trying to figure out how this would work and have looked at getting a 2nd Eglu. So would love to see what you have decided to do! Thanks!

 

[Nicky S]

Hi Nicky S. I think that's wonderful that you have managed to find a way to keep your roo baby. I accidentally ended up with a rooster too and took a lot of effort but found him a nice new home with his own big flock of ladies. But it broke my heart and still does that I had to rehome him. (That's him on my head in my profile pic!)

But I'm actually writing because I also have an Eglu coop with 4 girls (Speckled Sussex, Olive Egger, Dominique, and Red Sex Link). We/they love their coop but I agree I don't think we can fit another one in there...and I'm inevitably going to grow the flock! Would love 2 more at least. I don't have a big yard so can't get too many more.
I've also been trying to figure out how this would work and have looked at getting a 2nd Eglu. So would love to see what you have decided to do! Thanks!

Hi, oh that's so great you found him a good home, but I'd be heart broken too - even though my guy does not treat me very well (he's great with his ladies though, so I'll take that). So we had a bit of an emergency with a broody hen who took over the nesting box and the coop situation became urgent. So we went for a second Eglu Cube, with the idea that they would lay in there, and sleep in the old one because I wanted them all together because it's cold at night. Of course everyone is still laying in the occupied nesting box, but two girls now go to the new coop at night! The broody is in the old coop, and the other 2 try to roost with our rooster so I move them to one of the coops when I bring him inside. We are currently expanding the run, and I'm hoping it will be a little less crazy once I can set everything up properly....but I get the feeling everyone will just sleep where they please in the end, not where I'd like them to go! I'll try to update once we have new chicks to see how the spacing goes....never a dull moment with chickens

 

[My Three Chicks]

Hi, oh that's so great you found him a good home, but I'd be heart broken too - even though my guy does not treat me very well (he's great with his ladies though, so I'll take that). So we had a bit of an emergency with a broody hen who took over the nesting box and the coop situation became urgent. So we went for a second Eglu Cube, with the idea that they would lay in there, and sleep in the old one because I wanted them all together because it's cold at night. Of course everyone is still laying in the occupied nesting box, but two girls now go to the new coop at night! The broody is in the old coop, and the other 2 try to roost with our rooster so I move them to one of the coops when I bring him inside. We are currently expanding the run, and I'm hoping it will be a little less crazy once I can set everything up properly....but I get the feeling everyone will just sleep where they please in the end, not where I'd like them to go! I'll try to update once we have new chicks to see how the spacing goes....never a dull moment with chickens

Oh haha so true...there's so much entertainment with them.
It's so interesting huh. So the 2 that have been sleeping in the new coop, do they both go sleep there every night? Or does it sort of change up all the time?

I don't have to figure it out right now since I'm not in a huge rush to add to my flock of 4. I just would hate to spend a bunch more money on another Eglu Cube and then they all try to pile in one and don't really fit!

Sending a pic of my set-up. I've got the Omlet walk-in run as well. Which is great but I've had to make several tweaks to it to make it work for us.

 

[Nicky S]

Oh haha so true...there's so much entertainment with them.
It's so interesting huh. So the 2 that have been sleeping in the new coop, do they both go sleep there every night? Or does it sort of change up all the time?

I don't have to figure it out right now since I'm not in a huge rush to add to my flock of 4. I just would hate to spend a bunch more money on another Eglu Cube and then they all try to pile in one and don't really fit!

Sending a pic of my set-up. I've got the Omlet walk-in run as well. Which is great but I've had to make several tweaks to it to make it work for us.

Well usually it's always the same two (my Orpingtons), but last night Margo decided to roost instead. I honestly think they only go in the new coop because it is making the roosting bar hard to get to, because they never ever go in the old coop by themselves since I put the perch up (also Omlet). Regarding the walk-in Omlet run, I will say that it's awful with two Eglus, which is only temporary for us as we are building a much bigger run. At the moment we have the old coop attached by the tunnel at the back, which makes access to the front of the coop almost impossible, and the new coop is inside the run, but I can't move around in there at all. That said, it looks like you have extended yours in both directions as it looks an awful lot better than mine right now! It looks lovely in fact. I do like the rain covers we have on there, but otherwise I'm not a fan of the run itself I have to say. If they weren't free ranging most of the day mine would be miserable in theirs - when we go out they get rather annoyed at being locked up. I honestly think you won't know about the second coop until you try...chickens are so unpredictable, but I guess that the important thing is to have enough room if they want it! If they are squished into one and happy then I guess that is fine, and I assume if they want more space some will move out...or at least that's my hope!