Two flock question

[redinator]

My oldest chicks are 8 weeks, which I now know I have 2 cockerels and 2 pullets. I just got a batch of RIR chicks (17) 4 days old, and two BYM 11 days old. I know the newest have to be integrated through the "look, no touch" process when they go outside.

I plan to have two separate flocks for my two older cockerels. I have enough space to divide the yard in half for free ranging, my question is do they need separate coops? I don't plan to force males and females together . . . the pullets and cockerels can sort that out themselves.

I just want to set my yard up properly now to hopefully avoid any issues in the future.

 

[Debbie292d]

We have a flock with one old roo and 3 old hens, and then about a dozen roosters that all free range and they all go back to the same coop.

The rest are all in breeding pens.

I think you'll be fine using one coop. They go in there to sleep so getting to their favorite roost is the priority in there.

 

[redinator]

We have a flock with one old roo and 3 old hens, and then about a dozen roosters that all free range and they all go back to the same coop.

The rest are all in breeding pens.

I think you'll be fine using one coop. They go in there to sleep so getting to their favorite roost is the priority in there.

Presumably half (10) of the RIR/BYM will be male, so I'll have approximately 14 (2 males/ 14 females) chickens once the extra males are rehomed. Is a 8x10x7h shed large enough for all them if they're free ranging most of the day?

 

[Mrs. K]

I am not quite sure how you plan to have two separate flocks with one coop? Or divide the run?

None of my business but are you getting extra hens so that you can keep both cockerel chicks? Roosters tend not to understand sharing or dividing hens up, they tend to want all of them. Can lead to a lot of tension in the flock.

Mostly chicken keeping is trial and error, adjust. The shed should be large enough, pictures would help us give advice.

 

[NatJ]

I plan to have two separate flocks for my two older cockerels. I have enough space to divide the yard in half for free ranging, my question is do they need separate coops?

If you are going to let the chickens have the whole yard and they can split themselves up, they can probably share the same coop.

But if you are planning to put a fence down the middle of the yard with some chickens on each side, they should have separate coops too. That way each group can go in and out of their own coop and their own section of the fenced yard.

Presumably half (10) of the RIR/BYM will be male, so I'll have approximately 14 (2 males/ 14 females) chickens once the extra males are rehomed. Is a 8x10x7h shed large enough for all them if they're free ranging most of the day?

Yes, that size shed should be large enough for about 14 chickens in most situations.

If you are dividing the yard, you can probably divide the shed too. That way one building can serve as two coops (wire mesh or similar to split the inside in two, one chicken-sized door in each section. Either one people door per section, or one door to outside and one door between sections).

If you are not dividing the yard, just letting the chickens choose how to use the space, you can leave the shed as one big space and let the chickens decide about that too.

It would probably be good to have several roosts, maybe one on each side of the coop, so the chickens can split themselves up if they do not want to sleep near each other.

 

[redinator]

I am not quite sure how you plan to have two separate flocks with one coop? Or divide the run?

None of my business but are you getting extra hens so that you can keep both cockerel chicks? Roosters tend not to understand sharing or dividing hens up, they tend to want all of them. Can lead to a lot of tension in the flock.

Mostly chicken keeping is trial and error, adjust. The shed should be large enough, pictures would help us give advice.

That's what I'm trying to figure out. I'd like to keep both males, at least until I know I can get chicks from one or the other. If they get along I'll keep both, if not the more aggressive one will go to freezer camp.

The shed is not picture worthy yet. We're moving things around to make room for the newcomers to go outside in roughly two weeks so the younger chicks can go in the current run and the older chicks can free range and have the coop until the 'look no touch' process is complete.

Edit: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/8x10-shed-to-coop-repurpose.1658586/#post-28520447 that's a picture of the shed that is being repurposed, please don't judge yet, lol.

 

[redinator]

If you are going to let the chickens have the whole yard and they can split themselves up, they can probably share the same coop.

But if you are planning to put a fence down the middle of the yard with some chickens on each side, they should have separate coops too. That way each group can go in and out of their own coop and their own section of the fenced yard.


Yes, that size shed should be large enough for about 14 chickens in most situations.

If you are dividing the yard, you can probably divide the shed too. That way one building can serve as two coops (wire mesh or similar to split the inside in two, one chicken-sized door in each section. Either one people door per section, or one door to outside and one door between sections).

If you are not dividing the yard, just letting the chickens choose how to use the space, you can leave the shed as one big space and let the chickens decide about that too.

It would probably be good to have several roosts, maybe one on each side of the coop, so the chickens can split themselves up if they do not want to sleep near each other.

I was thinking something along these lines might work. I just wasn't sure if the one 8x10 would be adequate to split down the middle.

I'll center the coop at the back of the yard so if I do need to divide them up the coop is already centered. Adding a few T-posts with hardware cloth in the yard shouldn't be too difficult if they need to be divided up.

If I divide the coop should it be a solid wall so they can't see each other, or would netting/screen be enough?

 

[NatJ]

My oldest chicks are 8 weeks, which I now know I have 2 cockerels and 2 pullets. I just got a batch of RIR chicks (17) 4 days old, and two BYM 11 days old.

The shed is not picture worthy yet. We're moving things around to make room for the newcomers to go outside in roughly two weeks so the younger chicks can go in the current run and the older chicks can free range and have the coop until the 'look no touch' process is complete.

You can probably save one step on integration.

Put the two BYM chicks (11 days) in the brooder with the 17 RIR chicks (4 days). Just stick them in there, no special process. They should be fine. Watch for a few minutes just to make sure.

Young chicks are not too fussy about who their flock members are. The 11-day chicks are not yet old enough to be a problem, and the 4-day chicks are definitely young enough.

If you put a few small chicks in with a bunch of big chicks, sometimes they get squished by mistake. Having just a few bigger chicks with a bunch of small ones is not really a risk for that. And since the younger ones are already 4 days old, they should be pretty good at running around and moving when needed.

I was thinking something along these lines might work. I just wasn't sure if the one 8x10 would be adequate to split down the middle.

I'll center the coop at the back of the yard so if I do need to divide them up the coop is already centered. Adding a few T-posts with hardware cloth in the yard shouldn't be too difficult if they need to be divided up.

That sounds like a good plan.

If I divide the coop should it be a solid wall so they can't see each other, or would netting/screen be enough?

Netting or screen would probably be enough.

If you find the roosters trying to fight through it, then put something on the bottom 2-3 feet to keep them from seeing each other. That could be solid boards, but could just as easily be cardboard or tarp or empty feed bags. The only purpose would be to keep them from directly seeing each other, with the mesh already serving to keep them physically apart. And that is only needed if they seriously try to fight through the mesh: most roosters can live in adjacent pens without trouble.

 

[redinator]

You can probably save one step on integration.

Put the two BYM chicks (11 days) in the brooder with the 17 RIR chicks (4 days). Just stick them in there, no special process. They should be fine. Watch for a few minutes just to make sure.

Young chicks are not too fussy about who their flock members are. The 11-day chicks are not yet old enough to be a problem, and the 4-day chicks are definitely young enough.

If you put a few small chicks in with a bunch of big chicks, sometimes they get squished by mistake. Having just a few bigger chicks with a bunch of small ones is not really a risk for that. And since the younger ones are already 4 days old, they should be pretty good at running around and moving when needed.


That sounds like a good plan.


Netting or screen would probably be enough.

If you find the roosters trying to fight through it, then put something on the bottom 2-3 feet to keep them from seeing each other. That could be solid boards, but could just as easily be cardboard or tarp or empty feed bags. The only purpose would be to keep them from directly seeing each other, with the mesh already serving to keep them physically apart. And that is only needed if they seriously try to fight through the mesh: most roosters can live in adjacent pens without trouble.

The 2 BYM and 17 RIR came from the same person and are already together.

Thanks for the tip on the visual blocker, I could use that in the yard too if they're fighting at the fence.

 

[Mrs. K]

What is the size of your back yard? That will be a lot of chickens. But you did state that they are straight run, and that you are getting rid of excess males.

You can take this or leave this - they are your chickens. Being as you are going to get rid of the excess males, get down to only one rooster. There is a theory that flock mate cockerels, especially darling cockerels that are so forward and confident with people, tend to make poor roosters.

IMO - it would be better, to either divide like you are suggesting, putting all the roosters on one side, protecting your pullets on the other. Young cockerels can be very hard on pullets as they become sexually interested long before pullets. Pullets are really not ready until they get to point of lay.

Do know, that there is a possibility that none of the roosters will work out. Do remember that roosters are easy to come by, and the more roosters you have, the greater chance of it going wrong. They are not like puppies and kittens, in which if you develop a friendship young, it tends to be established all their lives.

As for separating the older chicks from the younger chicks - it really won't be a big deal. It is important that you have escapes, hideouts and mini walls that birds can duck behind, not just a wide open 2 dimensional run, where every chicken can see every other chicken 100% of the time. Add clutter to the run. Then in a couple of weeks you can put them all together.

If this is your first year with chickens, I would recommend a hen only flock, then add a rooster next year. People often times have really good roosters they would love to give away. Remember you have years to do this hobby, you don't have to do it all at once.
Mrs K