Separating young birds inside the coop

[Judy]

Quote:
I like this! The same height makes sense to me. Not so much for the sensation of roosting as the sense of being at an equal place in the pecking order -- just as the "top dogs" will take the highest roost, or the preferred spot on a roost. I think I'd worry more about integration than roosts right now.

Buff Orps are supposed to be laid back and prone to being bullied. Sounds like yours may be true to this typing -- mine were.

Good luck!

 

[theoldchick]

I bought a collapsable Go-Go puppy corral which I modified into a Chicken Jail when I introduced the younger gals to an established trio. Things did not go well for a few weeks so the trio ended up in jail while the younger gals and 2 cockerels (16 teenagers) were allowed freedom. I put chicken wire on the top to prevent escape. The younger birds took this as an invitation to climb across the top. This arrangement worked well for me. When the transisiton was complete I was able to fold the corral and hang it for use in the future.

 

[sab]

Here's my problem with the coral/playpen - tell me how to think it differently.
My two 16 week olds are not tame. My niece got them for Easter with the understanding she was to handle them a lot -- NOT. Result is that they are not tame. I just haven't had time with all the coop building, heat, the rest of life - to work at getting them won over with treats. So to get them into the run, I will be on hands & knees in a chicken coop inside that playpen to 'get em' to take out to the penned up area inside the run. I have to be able to reach them.

Thought --- if I switch them so the older birds are in the pen and the young ones are out like you have done, does that rearrange the 'order'?? Does that knock the older birds down a few notches by having them on the floor and not allowed to roost on a bar at night with the younger 2 over them??

If I get positive answers on this one, I may look at a 2nd smaller playpen at the pet store today. Yes, those are very versatile for a lot of uses.

I might be thinking wrong, but I'm thinking the way these younger 2 appear to the older 3 (as in roost height etc) may play a big part in the integration of the 2. It does give me concern that they will not integrate well... or at all.

 

[Fred's Hens]

You can use the heavy gage deer netting which we also use to surround the gardens. Using a staple gun, it is easy to put up a curtain, dividing off portions of one pen to make two smaller pens. You have to innovate the feeders/waters, but that's easy enough. Taking two cement blocks and a light-weight landscape timber also makes a nice, temporary roost, as well. This photo shows the possibilities. A little hard to see, but there is a temporary roost in the far back,

I've divided that pen many times. In fact, it is divided right now into three pens.. Easy to take down when mixing is desired.

 

[theoldchick]

When I put the established birds in 'jail' things seemed to change for the better. The youngsters were able to go about an be chickens while the older three still had plenty of room inside to be chickens. I did not put a roost bar in the 'jail' and having the younger ones roost higher than the older seemed to help them get accepted. As a side note, I had to get rid of the older rooster to make the acceptance complete.


The corral did have a door and I did have to get on my hands and knees to give the birds their food and water. While the trio was not as tame as the group I raised, they simply stayed away from me. Meanwhile, the chicks thought I was the best roost ever and I had to keep them off my back!

 

[sab]

? About using netting as a curtain/divider

How do you get from 1 section to another? Are you restapleing every time you go from 1 section to another? I can do a sparation using netting. Just trying to picture a human size stapled netted entry to it.

You folks are being so helpful - thanks!!

 

[Fred's Hens]

Quote:
Oh no. There has since been two doors cut into that wall along the left side.

As you can see, old throw away screen doors make great chicken pen doors too!!