So my friend wants to give me his chickens, what to do

[thehbcrew]

I have 6 20 week old pullets at the moment, one just started to lay. My friend has 4 hens he's trying to get rid of that are about 2 years old. My run is 144sqft so i know thats big enough but my small A frame coop is only about 4'X5'. Do you think 10 chickens would get along in a coop that small?? seems kind of tight already... I know they would sleep fine when i put in another roost, but walk around space is limited.

 

[BigDaddy'sGurl]

Can you put together a second coop of nearly the same size? Maybe out of pallets or something? I too would be hard-pressed to pass up free chickens...

 

[allieloveschickens]

it does sound a bit tight, and could cause issues- can you expand the coop at all? Or as was suggested by BigDaddysGurl build a second one?

 

[thehbcrew]

Sounds like i could take his coop, its just a DIY pallet one, if i can take it apart easily and put it in, i think i'm going to do it.

If i take them the first night should i put them in my coop so they co-mingle in the AM? then the next day hopefully they will go in their old coop?

 

[drumstick diva]

I would want to quarantine them, or at the very least not let them co-mingle. The hens are liable to injure the babies because of size difference etc.

 

[GardenGal]

I've read that a lot of people will put wire up so the chickens can see each other and adjust, but can't go after each other. Good luck!

 

[Ole rooster]

If you have a chick laying you have a very strange chick. Over developed for sure. I was going to say take his layers, eat the ones of your's not laying but I doubt they're large enough to get much in the way of meat. I don't think I would ever pass up free layers.