Debbie Barlow
Hatching
- Jul 29, 2017
- 1
- 0
- 7
My husband and I have been considering chickens for over five years and finally, we got some. I had a friend with some chickens she was willing to give me to get started. We got three Rhode Island Reds, three Barred Rocks and Two Americanas. I brought them home before we were fully ready for them meaning that we didn't have a coop or run built yet. We bought a 4' kennel to use as an outdoors play area and decided to use our jumbo dog crate to put them in the garage at night.
We have since encountered problems with our, Rhode Island Reds chasing and pecking all of the other chickens. The Reds are currently nine months old and the only ones laying eggs. The Americanas are also nine months old and the Barred Rocks are four months old. These are not laying eggs yet. The only thing I see when observing them is that the Reds are being protective of each other when they need to lay eggs even when they aren't in the nesting box yet. We have removed the youngest and placed them in a separate kennel during the day but the Americanas are still in the same kennel with the Reds. Other than when they are all just resting, the Americanas seem to always be running from the Reds and it has caused a lot of tension. My husband and I already consider them family and want to make it work out for all of them.
We believe that building their new run area and coop will improve the situation but it might even be that we have to continue keeping each breed separate. I might add that the Reds and the Americanas were in the same run together when we got them. The Barred Rocks were in a separate kennel but still next to the older birds which is how we have been doing it at our home. Tips to help improve the situation are appreciated.
We have since encountered problems with our, Rhode Island Reds chasing and pecking all of the other chickens. The Reds are currently nine months old and the only ones laying eggs. The Americanas are also nine months old and the Barred Rocks are four months old. These are not laying eggs yet. The only thing I see when observing them is that the Reds are being protective of each other when they need to lay eggs even when they aren't in the nesting box yet. We have removed the youngest and placed them in a separate kennel during the day but the Americanas are still in the same kennel with the Reds. Other than when they are all just resting, the Americanas seem to always be running from the Reds and it has caused a lot of tension. My husband and I already consider them family and want to make it work out for all of them.
We believe that building their new run area and coop will improve the situation but it might even be that we have to continue keeping each breed separate. I might add that the Reds and the Americanas were in the same run together when we got them. The Barred Rocks were in a separate kennel but still next to the older birds which is how we have been doing it at our home. Tips to help improve the situation are appreciated.
