nibuca
Chirping
We currently have 4 wonderful laying hens. They are mixed breed laying hens. They will be two this summer. We have them in a medium sized coop (4 1/2 feet wide, 5 1/2 feet long, with an additional shelter area attached to the coop that is 4 1/2 feet by 10 feet). They also have access during non-sleeping hours to their run which is 30 feet long by 14 feet wide. In addition to that they get free range of the back yard a few hours a day. We would like to add 2-3 chicks this summer (no, we won't be adding chicks directly to the coop, I mean once they are old enough to be added and we would gradually introduce them. I am considering two options and wondering what would be best in your much more experienced and valued opinion:
Option 1: add another medium sized coop to the run so that there are two coops in the run and continue outdoor access as described above. Do people ever have two coops in the run?
Option 2: Remove the current coop and add a larger coop suitable for the entire flock.
I do have plans later down the road to add additional runs and make them more like paddocks which can be rotated and allow grass to keep growing, but I am not certain where I will place them. When I do this I'll likely have a large coop built depending on placement of the runs. Because of this I'd prefer to temporarily go with option 1 but am not sure that is okay for the chickens? Thanks in advance!
Option 1: add another medium sized coop to the run so that there are two coops in the run and continue outdoor access as described above. Do people ever have two coops in the run?
Option 2: Remove the current coop and add a larger coop suitable for the entire flock.
I do have plans later down the road to add additional runs and make them more like paddocks which can be rotated and allow grass to keep growing, but I am not certain where I will place them. When I do this I'll likely have a large coop built depending on placement of the runs. Because of this I'd prefer to temporarily go with option 1 but am not sure that is okay for the chickens? Thanks in advance!