Needi some advice ASAP

the3ofus+oursixchicks

Songster
8 Years
Apr 22, 2011
1,273
12
154
alabama
OK I have 3 different sets of chickens. One set are 4 hens 2 (barred rock and buff orpington) are 3 years old and 2 (red blue laced wynodottes) are 2 years old. My middle set are around 3 months old and are Easter Eggers. One of my hens is their mother and they are at the age to where she doesn't like them anymore :( so of course she gives them a peck from time to time. Now, my last set is around 2 months old they are the babies. Everybody tries to get a shot in on them from time to time. I am trying to convert them to the coop. yes I know they are old enough to be out there that's not the problem I have had them out there several times already. They still love to stretch their legs out and lay down instead of roost so I put them a chair in the coop to sleep in. My prob is I went out there yesterday morning to let everyone out and the 2 youngest were hid out in the coop. I noticed a good amount of feathers that had been pecked out of one of them. that makes it hard to leave everybody together. They free range most all the time. Each group hangs with their group. I am going out of town in October for 4 days. My friend that usually tends and babys my chickens will be out of town that week too. I know I cant leave the youngest ones with everybody else I am afraid they will really hurt them. They will have to be in the pen while we are gone. I have a friend that has a barn and horse stalls. I was thinking about taking the middle set and the younger set and let her keep them over there just to keep everybody from getting pecked to death while we are gone. I know I will have to the 2 youngest ones but I am thinking about doing the same with the middle ones to because all the oldest ones like to get at them also. any suggestions or does this sound good. my only problem with taking them over there is knowing the will have to stay in the horse stall and not get to free range. and no there wont be any horses in there with them. advice please
 
I think the middle set are already integrated and are just being pecked to remind them they are lower in the order. So I would leave them at home. The youngest are at an age if they were mine I might let them free range together, but have them sleep separate. So having them apart for a couple weeks more isn't a bad idea. So they can't free range, but they will still be alive when you get back.
 
Exactly!! I keep telling myself they will be fine they will be fine
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I cant hardly stand the thoughts of all of them being closed up for 4 whole days
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and not getting to free range but, I know they will be ok. yes they are all in the yard together and they do very well like that unless of course they all end up together then the bosses start showing they are boss. Other than that free range is fine. Everybody tries to move out of every bodys way. Everybody sleeps together. When ifirst put the little set in the coop to sleep I would go out around 6:30 to bring them in my house cause I figured they would get pecked also so I could get about another hour of sleep
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. But I didn't that day. I think they can sleep together but, the littler ones need a different way out so they don't have to be with everybody else. Thanks for the advice. so you think I should leave the middle set here with the big ones penned in for 4 whole days???? I have a really good size pen and a big coop.
 
Since they are getting along with the older ones yes, keep them home. If you pull them they would only have to reintegrate, which could be a problem.
 
<<I was thinking about taking the middle set and the younger set and let her keep them over there just to keep everybody from getting pecked to death while we are gone. I know I will have to the 2 youngest ones but I am thinking about doing the same with the middle ones to because all the oldest ones like to get at them also. >>

I think that's the best plan since you know the grumpy old hens pick on both sets. Lots can happen while penned up for 4 days.
 
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This is my set up. We added an additional 12X12 addition for them to have more room. My Main pen is 10X20 plus the additional 12x12 for 10 chickens. what do yall think now? I have decided to leave everybody here that's why we added on. the middle ones will be with the big ones but they will have I think plenty room so no one is really bothering no one. I am going to section off probably a 6x6 or 8x8 for the 2 littler ones to be away from everybody but all still together if that makes any sense. what do yall think?
 
Sounds like it is a good plan. They get to know each other through wire without being able to do harm, while they finish growing.
 

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