5 days ago I had 11 birds. Today I have 18. My daughter went to a friends house. When my wife and son went to pick her up they came home with 3 chicks to light or white RI and a delaware. Tonight they went to watch her play basketball (same friendo on same team) and they came home with 4 more chicks, all RIR. Now here's the question. How old do they need to be before I can add them to the birds I have (which were born a week before good friday(5 months)). Also what about quarintines for the new birds? Evidentally the man raises hundreds of birds a year to sell of several types (chickens, quail, phesant, peacocks, and geese to name a few). How much area will I need for a coop for all the birds? Will one bird roosto over another bird or do they all need to be at the same level? HEEEELLLLPP!
quaranteen the new birds 30 days you can combine with other birds when they are close to same size. Otherwise smaller ones will usaully get picked on sometimes to death
As for area... I'd not worry about it so much till you figure out if they are girls or boys... for all you know you have 7 new boys.
Well, in my opinion the only quarantine needed is for your wife and daughter! LOL!!!! Just how good a friend IS this person? Are they going to see each other a couple of times a week? YIKES!!!!
The most important thing is quarantine. Several times people get new chicks..and think they are healthy enough....they look good....they come from a clean place...etc...and put them in the original flock, only to spread diseases, and lose several if not all of them. They need to be seperated for at least 30 days...if you have the room...I would go longer. Then put them next to the original flock...where they can see each other, but not get to each other, for at least a week or two. Once they are all about the same size...put them together in the evening...roosting time. Just watch them...the older ones might not let the newer ones eat/drink. you may have to add anothre feed station and water station for a few days. Each chicken needs 1 ft of roost. The highest in the pecking order, will get the highest roost. The others...well...get pooped on! LOL As for the DW and kids....I might think of putting them in isolation for a while! LOL Unless you want more chicks...every week! Hope you have plenty quarantine rooms! LOL
The wife built an above ground coop / non mobile tractor for them today. I think my son ran the tape measure. I will post picks later. I figure on keeping everyone seperate for about 4 months just to catch up on size.
As far as one roost above the other... bad idea, unless you stagger the roosts. By staggering the roosts you can make the most use from the space you have.