post your chicken coop pictures here!

[ellymayRans]

It's interesting you suggested putting the newest girls in the new coop first.  That was what we were planning w/ the two new pullets arriving this week.  We're still assembling the new coop and by the time it's finished the girls should be done w/ quarantine and they'll get to use the new coop first while the old girls continue in the old coop for a few days.  When the old coop gets picked up by our friend for his flock, the new girls will be the "owners" of the new coop that will be shared by old and new alike (5 hens total).  Introducing the old hens will be done at night.  I've got gentle breeds like Ameraucana, Silkie, and Breda so hopefully there won't be excessive drama in the morning when they all wake up!

I just believe with the older girls being moved into "new territory" and the new girls already being there they would less likely feel the newbies are the intruders. Similar to how you would introduce new Roos. I've never had great success with the see no touch approach because once they are accessible it's game on. I have all different breeds and have had for years, none of them are overly aggressive but I find a separate coop all together works best when introducing because eventually they are "allowed" to bunk with the existing flock at everyone's own pace. Then just one day the smaller coop is empty. Mine free range so it's a bit different but if it were me that's how I'd approach it.

 

[Sylvester017]

Any idea why she nests UNDER the nest boxes? Anyway this is the lady hiding 4 eggs under her.. She puffs up and barks at me when I go near her...

This is your broody hen's way of keeping the other girls from laying their eggs in her special nest. She's not dumb. She knows she can only handle a certain amount of hatching and that the eggs won't all hatch at the same time if other hens lay their eggs in her nest. If you know she's setting on fertile eggs, chicken wire her off from the other hens to keep them from laying in her spot; and remove her to make sure she eats/drinks and gets a little exercise a couple times a day and when she rushes back toward her nest, open the fencing so she can get back to her nest and close off the fencing again. She won't want to be more than a few minutes away from the nest before rushing back to it. Sometimes a good roo will set the eggs while his broody hens go get water and food but it looks like this broody is on her own so she won't take a long time to eat/drink before she returns to set her eggs. You're lucky if your hen has fertile eggs she's setting. I have a broody that's setting an imaginary nest - we have no roo so we have to remove the eggs before she collects them to set. Meanwhile we have to wait the 3+ weeks for her to get the broody out of her system before she returns normal to the flock again. Another went broody for a week and then decided it was no fun setting an empty nest and she returned to the flock.

 

[Sylvester017]

I just believe with the older girls being moved into "new territory" and the new girls already being there they would less likely feel the newbies are the intruders. Similar to how you would introduce new Roos. I've never had great success with the see no touch approach because once they are accessible it's game on. I have all different breeds and have had for years, none of them are overly aggressive but I find a separate coop all together works best when introducing because eventually they are "allowed" to bunk with the existing flock at everyone's own pace. Then just one day the smaller coop is empty. Mine free range so it's a bit different but if it were me that's how I'd approach it.

Mine are free range too. Everyone has a different circumstance and no one solution is the only way. That's why it's nice to read about the different situations and how owners handle them to see if their solutions might work for our particular situation as well.

 

[WthrLady]

toodling along. My work crew there wasn't much help. They were far more interested in the earthworms from the post holes.

 

[TJordan]

This is your broody hen's way of keeping the other girls from laying their eggs in her special nest.  She's not dumb.  She knows she can only handle a certain amount of hatching and that the eggs won't all hatch at the same time if other hens lay their eggs in her nest.  If you know she's setting on fertile eggs, chicken wire her off from the other hens to keep them from laying in her spot; and remove her to make sure she eats/drinks and gets a little exercise a couple times a day and when she rushes back toward her nest, open the fencing so she can get back to her nest and close off the fencing again.  She won't want to be more than a few minutes away from the nest before rushing back to it.  Sometimes a good roo will set the eggs while his broody hens go get water and food but it looks like this broody is on her own so she won't take a long time to eat/drink before she returns to set her eggs.  You're lucky if your hen has fertile eggs she's setting.  I have a broody that's setting an imaginary nest - we have no roo so we have to remove the eggs before she collects them to set.  Meanwhile we have to wait the 3+ weeks for her to get the broody out of her system before she returns normal to the flock again.  Another went broody for a week and then decided it was no fun setting an empty nest and she returned to the flock.

I have no viable way to rope her off yet... We are building the new coop that will be much bigger and will allow room to do this... IF my husband lets me... He said no hatchlings right now..... To much going on....

Oh and look!!! I wrangled a baby bunny today at the bus stop...

The guy across the street got it for his 2 yr old girl and instead of securing it he placed it in a plastic kiddy pool last night... I spotted the little one bouncing around the cars this morning and 20 mins or Wild West rodeo wrangling commenced. The grandma of the little girl lives right next to them and she put water out in the pin and will chew her sons tail up when he gets home...

 

[SHemphill]

Still need to make a runner for them and want to build identical house next to this one. I'm new at the byc life so input is appreciated. I know big house for just a few birds. I have some chicks that I don't think are big enough yet for the older birds.

In the fall I will be adding heat lamps and artificial light then when winter comes gonna add thick tarp and possibly vent fans.

 

[TJordan]

Still need to make a runner for them and want to build identical house next to this one. I'm new at the byc life so input is appreciated. I know big house for just a few birds. I have some chicks that I don't think are big enough yet for the older birds.

In the fall I will be adding heat lamps and artificial light then when winter comes gonna add thick tarp and possibly vent fans.

Very nice and

I see you have some woods nearby... If you are prone to raccoons, foxes or opossums I would suggest about 3' going up of hardware cloth running along the bottom... The chicken mesh is just braided together and they will pry it apart... They can also reach through the wire and grab a bird by the head... After that.... Dead birds....
Hope it helps and good luck

 

[WthrLady]

Taking a break. Everyone around me is burning fields today, which gives me a sinus headache in a big way. Warm out as well, so I'll take the hot part of the day off...75, no shade, dry wind, oh and the biting flies are out.

Anyway, critter skirt is done. Run skirt is done. Ribs and devil wire is next.

 

[Sylvester017]

toodling along. My work crew there wasn't much help. They were far more interested in the earthworms from the post holes.

There's nothing more therapeutic than watching free-ranging hens. Our hens love to "help" us in the garden - I have to fence them off when I'm working or one will get her head chopped off by the hoe - they're so-o-o trusting!

Your coop footprint looks larger than the projected pen area? We're all amazed at the fantastic coop - when can I move in?

 

[Bowleggedcowboy]

toodling along. My work crew there wasn't much help. They were far more interested in the earthworms from the post holes.

There's nothing more therapeutic than watching free-ranging hens. Our hens love to "help" us in the garden - I have to fence them off when I'm working or one will get her head chopped off by the hoe - they're so-o-o trusting! Your coop footprint looks larger than the projected pen area? We're all amazed at the fantastic coop - when can I move in?

Looks great. It would make a nice hunting cabin.