Situation-Specific Questions About New Chicken Introductions

[GracieKatt]

Hello! I've been able to find a lot of general advice but still have several questions about what I should do in this situation. I'm gonna try to lay out the facts as briefly as possible.

- I have four chickens I believe are about 9 to 12 weeks old. Two silkies, the other two I'm not sure. I got them as baby chicks and I believe at least one, perhaps two are going to be roosters.
- They came to me with some kind of infection that killed one (I'd bought 5) and required antibiotics to save the rest. Two never showed symptoms, one had a hugely swollen eye socket, but I gave them all the antibiotics. They've been healthy and sassy since they were about 4-5 weeks old at least, although the one that had the swollen eye, it never went back down ALL the way. We think it was either Mycoplasma Gallisepticum or Coryza but couldn't get confirmation.
- If two are roosters, I will absolutely need to get rid of one. If one is a rooster, I may see how it goes and figure out if we need to get rid of it or not.
- I have the Petmate Superior Construction Chicken Coop from Tractor Supply. (https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/petmate-superior-construction-chicken-coop-70401d)

So the questions I have are:
1. Are there any considerations around getting new hens when the old ones may be carriers of one of those infections?
2. Will it be easier to introduce more hens if the hens I already have are younger as opposed to waiting til later? Will them being ~10 weeks-ish vs older make a difference in what we need to do to introduce them?
3. I know that the number of chickens the coop says it can hold is a load of doody - how many more would you think would be safe to get for this size coop depending on whether one or two turn out to be roosters?

 

[Geena]

With a 72in x 42in "foraging area" and the coop half that size there really isn't room to add any more chickens beyond the 2 pullets and one cockerel you hope to keep.

If your chickens did have Mycoplasma Gallisepticum or Coryza they would likely transmit it to any new chicks that were added.

I would think it would be very difficult to integrate any newcomers to the existing ones anyway given the area you are working with.

-off topic but this review of that coop is crazy!
14 chickens in 3.5' x 6' and they have "so much space to move around" They must be packed in there like sardines.

 

[aart]

14 chickens in 3.5' x 6' and they have "so much space to move around" They must be packed in there like sardines.

Or they are day old chicks

 

[Mrs. K]

I would remove both cockerels. Roosters need more room than chickens. Small set ups like that with a cockerel will be very hard on the pullets in the flock.

I do think having the silkies in there will help, and when you add 3 more birds, add bantam breeds. Personally I would be tempted to wait until one of the silkies goes broody, add some day old (sexed) chicks to her. Silkies have a huge tendency to go broody.

Mrs K

 

[GracieKatt]

With a 72in x 42in "foraging area" and the coop half that size there really isn't room to add any more chickens beyond the 2 pullets and one cockerel you hope to keep.

If your chickens did have Mycoplasma Gallisepticum or Coryza they would likely transmit it to any new chicks that were added.

I would think it would be very difficult to integrate any newcomers to the existing ones anyway given the area you are working with.

-off topic but this review of that coop is crazy!
14 chickens in 3.5' x 6' and they have "so much space to move around" They must be packed in there like sardines.
View attachment 3174779

That's either a fake review or they accidentally reviewed the WRONG coop, holy heck! 20 chickens?! Maybe 20 MICE LOL