Questions about my bad chickens!

[ChristieB]

I have a coop of this design, I don't know if it's the same dimensions but it looks the same, I use it for quarantine and chicks because there is no way it's big enough as a permenant coop, in fact once my new coop is built and the one I'm using is free I'm making the one like yours a guinea pig hutch
This is an old picture of a hen using it for quarantine, it was barely big enough for just her!

 

[AprilMayJune]

Thanks for all the replies! Here is a pic of the gals' coop & pen.

 

[AprilMayJune]

Ok I guess this should say bad chicken owner-- thanks for clarifying! i did not calculate the dimensions right and that is good to know that they are overcrowded in the coop, and that it is definitely too small for them.

Inside the coop, there are 2 roosting bars measuring ~2 feet long each. The separate pen dimensions are 4 x 2 x 2 feet. I guess that would be 8 square feet of space.

So... I guess a question is where to go from here? From the picture I included, basically, I have been letting 2 hens into the coop to hang out, and 1 hen hangs out in the pen. Or vice versa. but I don't really put all 3 hens in the coop anymore, at anytime. So that means at least 1 hen sleeps outside in the pen, and at least 1 hen lays her egg in the pen. Coming back to this question, are either of these problems? for hens to sleep and lay eggs in the pen?

And... given the chicken dynamics of the most recently sick Amelia getting picked on a bit by her sisters, would it make sense to get a 2nd chicken coop, around this size? And just divide them up, so that 2 hens are in 1 coop, and 1 hen is in the other? I would still let them all free-range together, since they tolerate that overall. Anyway, would this be a sensible thing to do? Or is it better to just get a much larger coop that fits all 3 of them?

Thanks

 

[ChristieB]

Why can't they free range together? By separating you are just lengthening the issues making it worse , some pecking is normal, that's how they work out the pecking order! Once it's sorted it stops for the most part (you might still see an occasional reminder peck)
If you are thinking of buying a new coop then you would be better to buy one bigger coop with room for all 3 or convert your current pen so the roosting area is in the bottom part and the top is just for laying and add a bigger run on the front.

Also you will likely find even the worst of enemies in the day will sleep together fine at night as long as the top hen is allowed the prime roosting spot

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Ok I guess this should say bad chicken owner-- thanks for clarifying! i did not calculate the dimensions right and that is good to know that they are overcrowded in the coop, and that it is definitely too small for them.

You are not a bad owner - you are new and got bad information from what you thought was a good/reliable source (the manufacturer of the coop you bought)

 

[justplainbatty]

You are not a bad owner - you are new and got bad information from what you thought was a good/reliable source (the manufacturer of the coop you bought)

x2 You are a new chicken owner. Mistakes are made, it's ok. It would be best to build say, a16 square foot coop, they'll have a little extra room not to get on each others' nerves. A more stable pecking order will happen and no one will be alone or get left out in the rain. They live in flocks because they are very social, most likely they will be happier together. It is good that they free range together so that they are near one another but have other things to do besides pick on each other. That is a pleasant activity for all 3, a time where they can get along. You'll be a fine chicken owner,and the chickens will forgive and forget all about it.

 

[AprilMayJune]

Thanks everyone, really appreciate all the help and advice here!
It sounds like a larger coop that fits all of them will be best. we will start looking for one then.
Until then, we'll keep the current arrangement. They are behaving better these days I think. It is fun to watch them all hang out together in the yard. They free-range together 1-4 hours/day, depending on my schedule. I am having fun collecting their eggs : )