Separate rooms, shared common area for birds

[Firefoot]

Hey all,

So I'm adding a couple more pullets to my flock this spring and had a question about having multiple coops. Currently, I have 6 birds (1 roo) that live in a 4x6 coop and have a 10'x40' run. They free range most afternoons/evenings. The run is actually two 10'x20' runs attached with a door in between, and one side has an attached chicken tractor that I don't use anymore. It's like a 3'x3' or 4'x4' coop with a small run that is attached to the 10'x20' run. The coop is closed and they don't use it. It was my original coop for my original flock but they all transitioned to the Amish coop last year.

After quarantine, I will put the new birds in the small coop and close the dividing door between runs so the birds can meet each other through the fence for a few weeks. I will let them meet face to face while free ranging.

My question is, when I finally open the door and combine the runs, how much does it matter if the new girls continue to use the little coop? Will the roo eventually persuade them to come to the bigger coop? Will it be too annoying to be cleaning two coops? Does it confuse the other birds and will my older girls, who used to live in that coop a year ago, want to go back in there? I'd love it if they all transitioned to the bigger coop, but if people think that the birds having separate houses but sharing a "living room" will work, I might get 3 pullets instead of 2.

I guess I'm really just trying to justify chicken math.

 

[Melky]

You are already at max capacity for your coop with 6. Run space sounds fine as 10 sq ft per bird or more is appropriate. You either need bigger than a 4x6 coop or two separate coops. The chicken tractor 3x3 holds two birds and if 4x4 it would hold 4 birds max. So size matters in second coop because if not 4x4 then could only get two more birds to put in second coop.

 

[Firefoot]

You are already at max capacity for your coop with 6. Run space sounds fine as 10 sq ft per bird or more is appropriate. You either need bigger than a 4x6 coop or two separate coops. The chicken tractor 3x3 holds two birds and if 4x4 it would hold 4 birds max. So size matters in second coop because if not 4x4 then could only get two more birds to put in second coop.

I have always gone by 3 sq. ft. per bird inside, so with the 4'x6' coop at 24 sq. ft., that's 8 birds. I have actually had 9 in there very comfortably, but lost one to a fox and two to Marek's so hence now the 6. Half of their run has a solid roof, so even in bad weather, they spend the whole day outside. In the winter, three sides of the run get wrapped in plastic so they enjoy milling around in the wood chips and not being plastered to the wall by the wind. Before the roof and the plastic, the winter was tough and I would have worried about more birds in there but it is well ventilated and I think for just sleeping and laying it is enough space?

 

[aart]

My question is, when I finally open the door and combine the runs, how much does it matter if the new girls continue to use the little coop?
Will the roo eventually persuade them to come to the bigger coop?
Will it be too annoying to be cleaning two coops?
Does it confuse the other birds and will my older girls, who used to live in that coop a year ago, want to go back in there?

Doesn't matter at all.
Maybe, maybe not.
It would annoy me.
I doubt the older ones will go back to old coop...but, again... maybe, maybe not.

Hard to tell what live animals will do, wait and see... and be flexible and ready to adjust.
How you manage your space and the disease in your flock is your decision.