- Jul 14, 2014
- 66
- 14
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Hello all. I am still a bit new to keeping chickens but have jumped in "full body!!"...a bit of a background is that we currently have 10 hens and 2 young roos. Currently I have 2 broody hens (Delawares) sitting on a bunch of fertile eggs from my niece. We have just hatched 5 and 1 more should hatch soon. I am so thoroughly enjoying my chickens that I'd like to expand. Currently my coop is big enough (sq ft) for 16 chickens. I want to be realistic, educated and humane in caring for my lovies! What I have seen at other farms is ppl would have metal sheds/old wooden boxes/children's play house that they would use to raise chicks and sell them.
While I might sell some of my chicks, I would like to expand my flock.
1. Is it humane to keep my roosters in a separate pen? They are 4 mo old and really 'hammering' all of my hens bad.
2. I'd like to have a separate broodery for my broody hens, as they are currently in a nesting box and my other hens have previously
pecked the mama, made her comb bleed and ate her eggs.
3. I'd like to have a separate area for a grower for the young chicks to safely be outside without the worry of predators, getting lost,
or killed by the other chickens.
4. I'd like to have a mating pen??? I saw one lady had this when she wanted to have a pure breed of Ameraucanas.
5. Then of course the main coop and run.
6. Could you explain why or why not to your answers....(I'm a forever learner! lol)
My chickens are free range, so they spend alot of time foraging, but most of them have been hand raised and come when I call. So far we have not had any problems with hawks, and the coop is secure not to allow critters in. I don't want my chickens to become a
"chicken mill", but would like to expand logically.
Thanx for ya'lls imput.
Blessings, julie
While I might sell some of my chicks, I would like to expand my flock.
1. Is it humane to keep my roosters in a separate pen? They are 4 mo old and really 'hammering' all of my hens bad.
2. I'd like to have a separate broodery for my broody hens, as they are currently in a nesting box and my other hens have previously
pecked the mama, made her comb bleed and ate her eggs.
3. I'd like to have a separate area for a grower for the young chicks to safely be outside without the worry of predators, getting lost,
or killed by the other chickens.
4. I'd like to have a mating pen??? I saw one lady had this when she wanted to have a pure breed of Ameraucanas.
5. Then of course the main coop and run.
6. Could you explain why or why not to your answers....(I'm a forever learner! lol)
My chickens are free range, so they spend alot of time foraging, but most of them have been hand raised and come when I call. So far we have not had any problems with hawks, and the coop is secure not to allow critters in. I don't want my chickens to become a
"chicken mill", but would like to expand logically.
Thanx for ya'lls imput.
Blessings, julie
