Really would like some advice before winter PLEASE!!!

[herefordlovinglady]

I have a 12 x 10 coop. I have eight hens that roost in the coop every night. I have 6 game hens and two roos that choose the trees at night. I would love to have all of them go into the coop at night. I have and can put scratch in the run and catch them all together. they all free range all day and eat treats together, i see a bit of pecking order going on, but nothing serious. i guess the main thing would be that they have not been confined to one area for any length of time. I would think I would need to catch them all in the run and keep them all there until they are used to where they are to roost at night -- i have heard anywhere from a week to three weeks. I guess my main concern is the two roos tend to fight on occasion, the older roo seems more dominate and keeps the younger roo away from the flock. I have come home to a blood bath where they had went at it pretty hard. and then also the pecking order, can it get out of hand?

 

[herefordlovinglady]

Would like some help before it starts to get cold.

My roos and games hens were out in the cold all winter, and i just hate it for them. I need to know if this will work.

 

[sourland]

Locking the two roosters in the same pen may not work. While free ranging the subordinate is able to get away from the dominant rooster. I would try locking all but the subordinate in the pen for several weeks. You might consider removing the second rooster. Once the trees drop their leaves, roosting chickens are easy pickings for Great Horned owls.

 

[herefordlovinglady]

Yea, I was afraid someone would tell me this. I did not feel it was good to put the two of them together. I guess either i need to work on another coop, or split the one i have (which is not going to be easy). I just do not want to go another winter with my hens and roos outside at night when it is so cold and rainy. they have done fine for the last couple of years, but i have never liked it.

 

[TicTac]

Kay here is my opinion. I always have these grand ideas on how to fix, help, modify how my chickens move or act and I swear I always end up adding more and more to my chore time. I wonder if anyone else does that too Especially in spring when its time to choose the babies and then the even worst task of choosing who stays and who goes in the pot. We cant save them all. My advice is to save a lot of fret, worry and possible really cold nights for your roo's and you trying to shoosh them in. I would just find a new home or do what you have to do. I really depends on how much work you want to do. You could try housing them seprate but this can cause a rucus too.

Oh one more thing, if you are going to try to get them in the house at night, clip there primary feathers so they cant fly up.

That will at least keep them down. If you need to know how there are some really good videos on utube. Good luck!

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

For the hens - do you have a couple plastic or wire dog crates? I would catch them and jail them in the cages, in the coop for atleast three nights/2 days. Then contain them in the run/coop for the rest of the week before letting them out again. Clip a wing or both if you need to keep them in the run.


Roos - if they fight bloody, I would pick one and do something else with the least favorite (I would eat him - but that is me) Unless you do want to divide the coop and run, give the second roo a couple hens and his own side.


Good Luck - I know it is easier to decide when it is not your own coop

 

[herefordlovinglady]

Thanks for the replies. Tic Tac I agree with you about keeping it as simple as possible. the best scenario would be to get rid of one of the roos and like horsefeather says, to put the game hens in a cage in the coop until they all are used to being in the same space at night and in the morning until i let them out for the day. Or just let it be and they can fair the winter like they have for two years now.

thanks, I guess I was just looking for some reinforcement on my thoughts. I appreciate it.

 

[Dixiedoodle]

Can you divide the coop into separate areas? That way you can lock them into 'their' area at night. I added two 12 week old Marans to my coop and we did it. I locked them in their area for a week.. After that they went in and up on their roost every night. Don't have to herd them or anything.. If you can do this you can separate the rroos while they are in the coop and help to prevent fighting. Add roosts as high as you possibly can--to help them adjust.. Good luck..