Pictures to accompany questions

[autumn123]

Thanks so much to everyone for your help.

I just heard from the farm I where I got the chickens. He actually does have a good reputation in this area. He told me he was pretty sure the chickens weren't full leghorn. Except for the show breeds that he charges more money for, he doesn't separate them. But the place is clean, organized, and the started chicks he sells are vaccinated and in good health. He did look them over carefully before he gave them to me. He also told me it is difficult to tell the sex of a young chicken (if not sex link) so I knew there'd be a chance I'd get a rooster. He says he has available buffs, barred rocks, and reds around 15 weeks old. Which of these do you all suggest? I want a good layer and I have to be concerned whether there will be any conflicts with the two hens I already have. They are not free range (too may predators), so they have to live together.

 

[Kelsie2290]

Well, of the three, the reds (whatever kind they are, RIR, NHR, Production or sex-links) will probably be the best layers, the Barred Rocks next and the (assume he meant) Buff Orpingtons third. Temperament wise, the orps tend to be fairly laid back and sweet, and I've found the rocks pretty much get along with everybody, with the reds it will depend on what kind of reds they are, RIRs and their sex links tend to be dominant hens, they usually wind up running the place, but since you are bringing them in second, you will probably avoid most of the drama associated with bringing a new chicken into a coop that already has a dictator in place. The orp would be most likely to go broody, I've found them pretty consistent at trying that once or twice a year, the rocks occasionally, and the reds (all) least likely of the three. I guess in your case I wouldn't have a problem getting any of the three if they were what I wanted, it sounds like they are close in age to your girls, so size wise they should fit right in. Are you going to quarantine the newcomers or not bother? Don't see anyway the girls you have now are full leghorn for sure, still think they could be leghorn / EE mixes since they look a lot like some of mine I 100% know are that cross, but if he has barred rocks I wonder if he has white rocks and they could be that cross.

 

[autumn123]

It sounds like, for what I want, the Reds would be the best. I'm not concerned about the new chicken's health, so will probably not quarantine as I really have no place to do it. He has a good reputation and if the thought there was an illness going around he just wouldn't sell any at all. I will make sure it has been vaccinated, and the minor things that may come up I think I can handle.

 

[autumn123]

Exchanging rooster for hen tomorrow morning! Now I am looking at the second largest "hen", the one with the blue legs with suspicion! I will try to get some pictures tomorrow morning if you all would be so kind as to tell me what you think. Also, wondering if I have enough room for 4 instead of 3. The secure part of the coop is about 2ftx2ft with a roost bar across it. Then there are two nesting boxes coming out from the side. There is a small run under it safely enclosed about 2x6 and the feeder is in there. This is all enclosed in a 6x8 chain link dog kennel covered with hardware cloth and roofed. The waterer hangs in that space and the chickens can run all the way around the
coop/run within the kennel. They have a dust bath area in there also. The 3 seem fine with the space. The 1st pic is before we added the roof to the kennel.
.

 

[Kelsie2290]

If I understand you correctly, you have two feet of roosting space? As a general rule of thumb you want about a foot of roosting space for a large breed bird, you can get away with less for smaller breeds or bantams. It also depends on how much time they will be spending in the coop, What is the weather like where you live? If they are going to be in the coop for long periods of time in the winter, you need to be much more careful about space. Do you shut the coop itself at night, If the weather is fairly mild you can get away with less since they will spend a lot more time outside in the run even at night.and especially if you can give them additional roosting space in the run. btw, what sort of predators are you worried about, if you have raccoon problems I would use hardware cloth on the whole roof also, not just chicken wire.