So here's my dilemna. I live in an HOA subdivision which does allow chickens, but I need to be careful not to cause any smell or too much noise, so I'm guessing my chicken limit is somewhere south of 10. I currently have 3 Buff Orps and 2 Barred Rocks. One of my BOs Ruby went broody a while ago, so I gave her 5 SLW eggs, and she hatched 5 adorable fuzzies yesterday. I'm also planning on adding 4 day-old Delaware chicks to her brood in the morning. I plan on keeping 2 SLWs and 2 Delawares, and selling the rest. That brings me to 9. One of my BOs has a reaaaaaaaally long and loud egg song, so I'm planning on getting rid of her in a couple of months when our BRs are laying well, which brings me to 8. That should be good... but I walk into the coop 2 days ago to see a very familiar site-- another of my BOs is puffed up and growling at me from her nest of shavings. And now I'm tempted to add more babies. Tell me not to do it.
Here's my set-up. They basically free-range my backyard 95% of the time. Occasionally I'll lock them in their run when I want the patio poop-free. The actual coop is pretty tiny (4'X4'), but we're building an addition of about 6'X4' (hence the construction-zone run). The 3rd pic is the temporary mama/chicks area we put up haphazardly.
IF you would let my new broody Bluebell have eggs, how would you do it? I need the mama/chicks area for the next 2-3 weeks, then I'll let Ruby and the chicks join the flock. I probably could now, because she's top hen and my other hens are very passive, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. I really don't have an area to separate Bluebell, unless I make another enclosure? Or wait 2 weeks to give her eggs, then use Ruby's enclosure? Other ideas?
Here's my backyard where they free-range
And their run/coop (under construction) The perspective makes it hard to tell, but the run is about 15'X20'
Ruby & chicks' temporary run
Gratuitous picture of my new babies
Uh-oh, I've seen THIS look before...
Here's my set-up. They basically free-range my backyard 95% of the time. Occasionally I'll lock them in their run when I want the patio poop-free. The actual coop is pretty tiny (4'X4'), but we're building an addition of about 6'X4' (hence the construction-zone run). The 3rd pic is the temporary mama/chicks area we put up haphazardly.
IF you would let my new broody Bluebell have eggs, how would you do it? I need the mama/chicks area for the next 2-3 weeks, then I'll let Ruby and the chicks join the flock. I probably could now, because she's top hen and my other hens are very passive, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. I really don't have an area to separate Bluebell, unless I make another enclosure? Or wait 2 weeks to give her eggs, then use Ruby's enclosure? Other ideas?
Here's my backyard where they free-range
And their run/coop (under construction) The perspective makes it hard to tell, but the run is about 15'X20'
Ruby & chicks' temporary run
Gratuitous picture of my new babies
Uh-oh, I've seen THIS look before...
