Two coops - 1 flock. How does it work?

[NorthernChick1]

Hi BYC! I have a flock of 19 hens and 2ducks right now and im saving 3 more this week (man lost 4 to the cold so i am taking his last 3 before they literally freeze to death) (going into quarantine tomorrow). One thing is my coop is only about 9'x10', theres is perfect room for the flock i have right now and i believe that once i add the other 3 girls i really will be at maximum capacity!

The problem is is that ITS ADDICTING!!! I absolutely love my ducks and want 2 more this spring and maybe a few more chickens with different egg colouration! I cannot extend my coop but i was thinking on getting another small shed and converting it attaching it to the same enclosed run.

Has anyone ever done this before? Having two coops because you ran our of room in the first?

If so how does the flock work? Do you let them choose which one they want to be in as far as sleeping and passing the winter in? Do i just separate ducks in one chickens in the other? Do i go redneck and try attaching both together like cut a hole in each ones side and attach with a short tunnel!?

Sorry this might sound dumb but i want more so bad! Also, I dont want to put extra stress on my girls but i feel obligated to take in the other 3 because it really is a life or death situation.

 

[Melky]

I don’t have this issue but I would have ducks separate from chickens. Only own what you can house. 4 sq ft per bird in coop 10 sq ft per bird in run.

 

[CCUK]

Hi BYC! I have a flock of 19 hens and 2ducks right now and im saving 3 more this week (man lost 4 to the cold so i am taking his last 3 before they literally freeze to death) (going into quarantine tomorrow). One thing is my coop is only about 9'x10', theres is perfect room for the flock i have right now and i believe that once i add the other 3 girls i really will be at maximum capacity!

The problem is is that ITS ADDICTING!!! I absolutely love my ducks and want 2 more this spring and maybe a few more chickens with different egg colouration! I cannot extend my coop but i was thinking on getting another small shed and converting it attaching it to the same enclosed run.

Has anyone ever done this before? Having two coops because you ran our of room in the first?

If so how does the flock work? Do you let them choose which one they want to be in as far as sleeping and passing the winter in? Do i just separate ducks in one chickens in the other? Do i go redneck and try attaching both together like cut a hole in each ones side and attach with a short tunnel!?

Sorry this might sound dumb but i want more so bad! Also, I dont want to put extra stress on my girls but i feel obligated to take in the other 3 because it really is a life or death situation.

I have two coops that open into one enclosed run and a separate coop and run they all open into one open run. They sleep in different coops and lay in only two of the coops! When the weather is bad they all hang out in the separate coop and run which on its own is far too small for 20 hens but they seem happy so I leave them be!

 

[Shadrach]

Hi BYC! I have a flock of 19 hens and 2ducks right now and im saving 3 more this week (man lost 4 to the cold so i am taking his last 3 before they literally freeze to death) (going into quarantine tomorrow). One thing is my coop is only about 9'x10', theres is perfect room for the flock i have right now and i believe that once i add the other 3 girls i really will be at maximum capacity!

The problem is is that ITS ADDICTING!!! I absolutely love my ducks and want 2 more this spring and maybe a few more chickens with different egg colouration! I cannot extend my coop but i was thinking on getting another small shed and converting it attaching it to the same enclosed run.

Has anyone ever done this before? Having two coops because you ran our of room in the first?

If so how does the flock work? Do you let them choose which one they want to be in as far as sleeping and passing the winter in? Do i just separate ducks in one chickens in the other? Do i go redneck and try attaching both together like cut a hole in each ones side and attach with a short tunnel!?

Sorry this might sound dumb but i want more so bad! Also, I dont want to put extra stress on my girls but i feel obligated to take in the other 3 because it really is a life or death situation.

Not quite your situation but I have multiple coops and seperate groups living in them.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/shadrach’s-multi-coops.74344/
You don't say if you have roosters (?)
I did let the chickens choose where and with who they lived with. The results were interesting.
What multiple coops does allow you to do if you free range is to observer some very interesting flock dynamics.
If you've got the space and can build the coops then I would put the new arrivals in a separate coop.
Be warned, multiple coop chicken keeping can get very addictive.

 

[NorthernChick1]

Not quite your situation but I have multiple coops and seperate groups living in them.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/shadrach’s-multi-coops.74344/
You don't say if you have roosters (?)
I did let the chickens choose where and with who they lived with. The results were interesting.
What multiple coops does allow you to do if you free range is to observer some very interesting flock dynamics.
If you've got the space and can build the coops then I would put the new arrivals in a separate coop.
Be warned, multiple coop chicken keeping can get very addictive.

I have one silky roo. Hes as big as all the other hens, i have only one silkie pullet and he protects her.

 

[Molpet]

I have 4 coops. most of the year, 2 of the coops share the same poultry yard. A roo in each coop. Some years there is a lot of coop switching. Last year when I opened it up, the roo from the 8x8 moved into the 8x12 with his dad and most of his girls went too. So I switched roos and 2 more hens left and 6 others (pullets) moved in.

 

[NorthernChick1]

so you basically let them choose?

I have 4 coops. most of the year, 2 of the coops share the same poultry yard. A roo in each coop. Some years there is a lot of coop switching. Last year when I opened it up, the roo from the 8x8 moved into the 8x12 with his dad and most of his girls went too. So I switched roos and 2 more hens left and 6 others (pullets) moved in.

 

[Molpet]

so you basically let them choose?

In February I separate and when I am done with most of the hatching I let 2 coops choose... Another coop is always kept separate for hatching and the 4th has bachlors for back up breeder roos and grow out cockerels for the freezer