I went and ordered 6 more babies and I already have 12 seven week olds! What is wrong with me? I wanted a colorful egg basket so I ordered some girls that would lay white eggs and dark brown eggs. I just dont want to be crowding. The coop is an 8 x 10 and the run is an 8 x 22. I have time to cancel my order if I am getting to many girls. I dont want to cancel but I want to be sensible and fair to the girls that I already have. I couldnt believe someone cancelled their order and I finally had the chance to get 2 welsummer pullets! I had no white in any of my hens and ordered 2 delawares pullets. I added 2 light brown leghorns to get a couple of white eggs in my basket. Do I have enough room for all the girls. I let them free range when i can sit with my 22 and watch over them, which is about 3 times a week.
You have room for about 20 chickens at 4 sq ft each.... That is an ideal amount of space. It will be a while before you can mix the new chicks in with the 7 week olds though.
I will keep the new babies in the basement for a couple of weeks and then they will go out in another large pen before I put them in with the other girls. I plan on putting the new girls in an open smaller pen with the older girls later and then letting them out each day and watching them until they all decide it okay. It will probably take a couple of weeks. If there are older girls wont stop bother the new girls then they can go in the empty butcher pen for a few days and then back in with all the girls. I hope it works. Thanks for replying, im glad i can keep the new girls
