Opinions Needed!! How to add 3hens to my flock of 11 during winter in a small coop!!!

[NorthernChick1]

Hi everyone!

So heres my situation, i currently have 8 chickens, 1 silky bantam roo, and 2 ducks. My coop can manage and house my flock perfectly, its about 10'x9'. My boyfriend came home tonight telling me a man he knows wants us to take in 3 of his hens this friday. He started with 7 last spring but isint well equiped and lost 4 hens this week to the blistering cold . Without hesitating I said yes as i want to save these chickens and bring them into my warm coop! The thing is i am not sure how to make them meet my flock. If it were summer there wouldnt be a problem because they could be out in the enclosure and have enough room to hide and have protection agaisnt eachother until they get the pecking order straight but because its so cold they do not go outside and i am stuck doing this in my coop. I believe having 13 in my coop is still ok and they will still have good room but i am scared they hurt eachother because they will be confined!!! Can anyone help please!!

 

[pennyJo1960]

Hey at least your smart enough to ask do you have a huge dog crate or dog house use that wrap it in chicken wire small run outside of you current coop and run but so they can see each other this is called bio security

 

[ChickNanny13]

Quarantine, from what I've read should not be within the same area of your flock, maybe in the garage or shed with good ventilation for at least a month. Then do the introduction = put the newbies in a wire cage inside your coop for a few weeks, until you're comfortable the flock has accepted the newbies.

 

[NorthernChick1]

Quarantine, from what I've read should not be within the same area of your flock, maybe in the garage or shed with good ventilation for at least a month. Then do the introduction = put the newbies in a wire cage inside your coop for a few weeks, until you're comfortable the flock has accepted the newbies.

Right! i completely forgot about quarenteing them! i will put them in the dog crate in the garage for at least a good 2 weeks with a small heat source just to get them back on their feet. i hope they survive the next 48hrs until i get them!

 

[NorthernChick1]

Hey at least your smart enough to ask do you have a huge dog crate or dog house use that wrap it in chicken wire small run outside of you current coop and run but so they can see each other this is called bio security

Right! i did do that when i introduced my silkies to the gang. Unfortunately the coop is packed with extra feeders and lamps theres not much room for the huge dog cage i have! i will start by quarantining them for a good 2 weeks then i will figure out my next step!

 

[ChickNanny13]

Right! i completely forgot about quarenteing them! i will put them in the dog crate in the garage for at least a good 2 weeks with a small heat source just to get them back on their feet. i hope they survive the next 48hrs until i get them!

When keeping chicks/chickens in the garage, make sure there's alot of ventilation due to the "fumes" .... gas, paints, thinners, exhaust, chemicals and what ever you may keep in the garage that give off fumes. Crack a window, door, run a fan for circulation. Good luck & great that you are able to give them homes.

 

[Acre4Me]

@NorthernChick1, did you get your birds? How are they doing?

 

[NorthernChick1]

they are in rough shape. there feathers are all messed up they almost seem to have no more tail feathers and oh there poor comb. They are bown ISA hybrids. i have 3 just like them. They dont have large combs to start with but theres are all shriveled, cracked and one that got picked on really bad is missing a chunk. But they are now same in my garage. The garage is above 0°C and they do have a heat lamp i know it isnt good for them to have such a dramatic change if temp like that but i do need to work in the garage today thats why we heated itnwith wood. Untill i finish and let it die out to become colder should i take there heat lamp out so it doesnt make a big change once i let the fire die out?

 

[Acre4Me]

they are in rough shape. there feathers are all messed up they almost seem to have no more tail feathers and oh there poor comb. They are bown ISA hybrids. i have 3 just like them. They dont have large combs to start with but theres are all shriveled, cracked and one that got picked on really bad is missing a chunk. But they are now same in my garage. The garage is above 0°C and they do have a heat lamp i know it isnt good for them to have such a dramatic change if temp like that but i do need to work in the garage today thats why we heated itnwith wood. Untill i finish and let it die out to become colder should i take there heat lamp out so it doesnt make a big change once i let the fire die out?

Glad you got the chickens OK, and its a good thing for them to be in your garage right now. Food, water, no wind...all good! Is the picked-on bird still getting picked on? Hopefully not.

With regards to heating your garage with the wood stove since you need to be in there working - it cannot be helped. The heat lamp can either stay on or be turned off. However, you can make it less warm for them by moving the heat lamp further away from them, giving them a more mild warmth. The issue will be how to handle introducing them to outside temps again if it gets overly warm (compared to outside temps) for a longer period of time. Since they are in a weakened condition, the warmth may help them to perk up, and you may find you only need it for a couple of days till they are eating/drinking, settling in well. If only a couple of days, then they aren't likely to acclimate to the warmth to the point of not being able to go outside in a couple of weeks.

I hope they perk up quickly and aren't ill with anything. Good Luck!

 

[NorthernChick1]

Thank you. The weather is warming up it willl be around -18 all week instead of -30 lol. the garage will be about 10-15° but after this weekend letting it die out will become about 5° warmer than outside and they will have there lamp so i wont stress about them getting aclimated to the heat. Thanks alot! im still debating on if i want to keep them
i really wanted to get easter eggers, olive eggers or polish chickens this year and ill most likely hit max capacity with 3-4 more chicken. we will see! i will keep them for about a month in quarantine and it will give me the chance to decide!