Overcrowding???

[kirstie]

Ok so I started out with 12 chicks this spring and SOMEHOW we have attained 5 more! we got given 2 little Hamburgs that were laying wonderfully almost an egg from each every day and then I did an addition to their run and they stopped laying i figured due to stress from the 2 days of construction but then about 2 weeks after that we got given 3 more from my inlaws a delaware, barred rock, and something that looks like a rhode island cross. Well the Hamburgs still have not started laying again because they get picked on mercilously from the new 3 and now after about 3 weeks of having them the new 3 have completley STOPPED laying as well. We also think that the new 3 might be causing to much stress and making our first 12 not want to start laying. Im not sure if its due to over crowding inside the coop at night or what? Outside in their run they have plenty of room but im not sure about inside. Should we just get rid of the new 3 or is there a way to work this out with change in the coop?

 

[Judy]

Tell us the dimensions of your coop and of your run.

 

[kirstie]

The coop is 4x8 ft and 5 ft tall and the run is 16x8 and 6 1/2 ft tall.

 

[ScottM]

That's under three sqft per bird in the coop, and seven and a half per bird for the run. Minus any feeder or nest space. The common rule of thumb is four sqft inside and ten in the run, so space may be a factor. As for starting, a watched hen never lays.

Scott