Two Separate Coops?

[ThreeOfSeven]

I have 5 awesome chickens and a very nice coop for my girls. They spend bad weather, winters, and evenings in their coop and run area, but normally, they frolic around the fenced-in yard. My husband brought home a second coop, approx 4'x6'. Coop #1 is attached to our shed, and there's no easy or convenient way to connect coop #2 to coop #1 or the run.

So here's my question. Will I have any problems maintaining 2 coops insofar as chicken relationships? Chickens in #2 will have same lifestyle -- chicken-sashaying around the yard except at night and when weather is cold and nasty. (Coop #2 will also have a hardware cloth, predator-safe enclosure.)

P.S. The "run" are for coop #1 isn't big enough (IMHO) for chickens from both coops.

Thanks!

 

[christwodog]

I have two separate groups of chickens and they are in two separate coops right next to each other - the original plan was to cut an opening in the wire so they could use both sides and have more room. But as time went on, they function as two flocks, mingling (chasing occasionally) together when free ranging and exploring each other's coops, but when it's time to go to bed, they each go to their own coop. Works for us.

 

[Jpiggle1]

I have 5 awesome chickens and a very nice coop for my girls. They spend bad weather, winters, and evenings in their coop and run area, but normally, they frolic around the fenced-in yard. My husband brought home a second coop, approx 4'x6'. Coop #1 is attached to our shed, and there's no easy or convenient way to connect coop #2 to coop #1 or the run.

So here's my question. Will I have any problems maintaining 2 coops insofar as chicken relationships? Chickens in #2 will have same lifestyle -- chicken-sashaying around the yard except at night and when weather is cold and nasty. (Coop #2 will also have a hardware cloth, predator-safe enclosure.)

P.S. The "run" are for coop #1 isn't big enough (IMHO) for chickens from both coops.

Thanks!

So chickens have a distinct peck order in a flock. If you constantly divide and bring together 2groups you may get daily violence. Better to cut another hole in the side of the shed and wire in the second bedroom coop. But especially in cold weather my girls all cram together in one coop at night...

 

[Perris]

Shadrach has posted about having multiple coops, and recommends it, see e.g. https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-without-coops-or-with-mutiple-coops.1264145/

 

[ThreeOfSeven]

Interesting thread. Two separate coops would create 2 tribes, and I can see the natural ramifications. Hmm, location of #2 is ideal, better than #1, but I guess we'll have to rethink this. Thanks for the info and advice.

 

[Perris]

Interesting thread. Two separate coops would create 2 tribes, and I can see the natural ramifications. Hmm, location of #2 is ideal, better than #1, but I guess we'll have to rethink this. Thanks for the info and advice.

what did you do? and how did it go?

 

[aart]

what did you do? and how did it go?

Curious too......
@ThreeOfSeven has not been active since 9-20...maybe the tag will bring them back to update us?

 

[Kuntry Klucker]

Hi, I have a coop hood in my backyard, currently servicing 5 coops. I have two that are side by side sharing the same outdoor run. The residents include silkies, white crested polishes, and frizzle cochins all bantams. They get along fine together in the outdoor run. On days that its either bad weather or I will be gone I keep them in their separate attached pins in their coops.

I have one large coop a few doors down housing standard buff orpingtons. I keep them on their side of the yard because I am afraid that they will hurt the smaller bantam chickens. They too have a large outside run with a covered pin next to their coop. All get along fairly well. I hope this answers your question.

 

[Perris]

thanks for letting us know @ThreeOfSeven. My separate but close coops are working out fine too. There's variation in terms of who's with who in each coop more or less each night, but I think that's because the chicks are full size now and challenging the pecking order. Also all but one adults are molting. For some weeks it looked like all other birds were choosing to roost in whichever coop the chicks and broody were not in but recently the rooster decided to share with them, and one night the sole laying hen was all alone in the new coop while everyone else piled into the old one. Maybe it'll settle down to a regular pattern, but there's none I can detect as yet. As long as they continue to get on together in the morning, I'm happy!

 

[ThreeOfSeven]

Wow, more info, and I didn't even know it was here. Sorry for my delay! No change in status here. I have our spare/new (used) coop in the yard, but nothing set up yet. Hoping my DH will get it put together this spring, and I'll bring in new chicks then. Going to place them side-by-side (sort of) with a shared pen area, but keeping the door in place. I'll need it until the 2 flocks are acclimated. New pen area will have hardware cloth roof (hawks, raccoons, etc.). Current pen area has plastic roof panels (and my girls love that dry, dusty spot under the coop). Only thing now is to commence nagging at the proper time after the new year. <grin>