It’s fun setting up a chicken coop, here are over 500 ideas to make your coop more functional and easier to maintain. Be creative, you’ll be spending lots of time with your chickens, make it a place you want to be too.
The Step-by-Step Process of Introducing a New Chicken to an Existing Semi-Confined Flock
Anybody who raises chickens knows the drama of adding a new bird… and that’s where I am now. My Silkie chicks have been in plain sight of an established flock since they were 7 weeks old. Does that mean they’ll all get along? Heck no!
I ended up selling all the Silkie pullets but one, Randi, a pretty little buff, now five months old… and ready to join the flock. Two weeks ago I opened her coop door allowing her freedom to join my hens. But as expected, normal behavior is to stay where it’s safe.
Little Randi dared to venture outside her coop a little more each day. For another few days, she stayed close to her own coop and food source. When the big bad hens got too close she’d make a mad dash to the safety of her home sweet home.
Yesterday I noticed Randi was getting brave, and although keeping her distance from the flock, she was exploring far beyond her safety zone. It was now time to provide an extra feeder and drinker where all the hens randomly hang out. The first argument is usually over food, so I attempted to avoid that war by protecting the established flock’s groceries. Sometimes that works, but sometimes the boss hens split up and claim both food sources. Meanies! That was a risk, nevertheless, against my better judgment, climbed a ladder 12 feet to the roof supports and hung rope for another oasis. Not only did I manage to survive that ordeal, but it worked… the hens did not split up, allowing little Randi access to the new chicken buffet.
Throughout the day I watched for trouble. Not expecting harmony by any means, but whether or not Randi would fair well in the hens’ coop that night still needed to be evaluated. Adding a new member to a flock can be ugly, and disturbing to watch, especially when it’s forced. Hens don’t take kindly to a newcomer at bedtime, every spot on the roost is not only reserved but earned.
Having a bird pecked on causes all sorts of other problems, all of which I make every attempt to avoid. Having injured birds means isolation, and wound care, not to mention another coop to clean. All that equals more work, but more importantly… the pecking order is interrupted in the interim. So it’s important to be patient and not rush introductions, new chickens find their place among the flock all in good time. Ample space is crucial, this allows the newbie to avoid confrontation and build the confidence to venture about without the constant fear of being threatened.
After a day of evaluating the flock’s somewhat aloof behavior towards Randi’s presence, I decided it was safe to put Randi in the hens’ coop that evening. But to avoid the inevitable roost argument, I let Randi return to her own coop at dusk, closed the door behind her, and waited an hour.
The best time to sneak her into the big girl hen house would be after the hens are roosting for the night. Why? Because hens are very unlikely to leave the roost until the first sign of morning light. I put another nest box in the hen’s coop area that none of the ladies have seen before… unclaimed. It was now time to move Randi from her coop to the hen house and place her in the new nest box. She’d feel safe there for the night, and in time… choose her own place to roost.
Up With the Chickens
What’s the first thing chickens do when they leave the roost? Eat, poop, and definitely do NOT want to see an intruder at their breakfast table. So I was there, at 6 AM to open the coop door… to freedom, creating a distraction far more appealing to the hens than dealing with the feathered stranger.
The ladies quickly left the newcomer behind and went about their business beyond the coop of confinement. Randi stayed in the coop, oblivious to the normal routine of the flock. The hens would be back to lay their eggs, and again at dusk to roost for the night. Eventually, Randi will join their redundant itinerary, usually within a month. In the interim, her spot in the pecking order will depend on her. She will remain the bird with the lowest seniority unless she aggressively earns a higher ranking.
Conclusion
After three days of all the girls being confined for the night, the morning wait for a human to come and open the coop door has been without any significant incidences, except for a few missing tail feathers. No blood, no bald birds, and minimal arguments… I call that success!
Once again it’s that time of year when soaring temperatures raise concern for chicken keepers. For those who can free-roam their flock there is less worry. But if you have backyard chickens that are confined to a coop, your worries are quite valid. Here’s what you can do to make your flock more comfortable.
There are steps to take that will help your chickens beat the heat, but it will take a little effort on your part.
If your coop is overcrowded it’s time to expand, too many birds in small quarters is just asking for trouble.
Air flow is vital. Chicken droppings generate heat, so be sure to clean the coop and lay down fresh bedding. If at all possible provide a fan for ventilation, if it isn’t… find a way. A fan could be the difference between life and death.
Keeping the Flock Hydrated
There is a pecking order among chickens, so provide extra water sources for those lower-ranking birds who might not be allowed to use the drinker.
Chickens will drink more if the water is cool, provide cool water at the hottest time of the day. If you have broody hens, make it easy for them to access water, don’t assume they are leaving the nest… some don’t.
Tip: Full buckets of water will stay cold longer, put out a few.
Shallow ground drinkers work nicely for bantams.
Electrolytes
It’s always a good idea to have electrolytes on hand for those really hot days. Simply add it to your flock’s water source. Electrolytes for poultry can be found at your local feed store. It comes in many forms, choose one best suited for your needs & the size of your flock.
Chickens may or may not like a mist system, my birds hate them, however, I have heard positive feedback from other chicken keepers. So it may be something to consider useful in dry climates.
A more positive approach is to provide your birds with a small flooded area for them to play in. Even if it’s just a hose allowed to drip, they are magically lured to this life-saving man-made oasis.
Triple Digit Temperatures
Here in Phoenix, our temperatures can reach 115+ degrees, this is when it’s time to bring out watermelon, cantaloupe, lettuce, or anything that will help hydrate the flock. These foods will be better for them than layer pellets containing corn, which produces even more unwanted heat.
During these heat spells, I ration layer pellets, offering in morning, mid-day, and night for about an hour or so.
Recipe for Successful Chicken Keeping in Excessive Heat
Shade is essential to the survival of chickens in extreme temperatures, especially if they’re cooped. Your coop is best placed under a shade tree, but remember the sun moves and may leave your birds exposed to direct sun during the day.
Never use tarps
Shade cloth, mesh tarps, and shade sails are excellent for keeping the sun out, yet they don’t restrict airflow. Shade cloth is cheaper than mesh tarps and is available in most garden centers. Mesh tarps might be pricey, but they’re a lot easier to hang. Both, are durable and offer long-lasting wear.
Offer watermelon or cantaloupe & place it in a shady area.
Find a way to hang a fan a foot or so from the ground.
Provide an area where a hose is on a slow stream or drip.
Keep drinkers filled with cool water. Tip: Buckets kept full will stay cold longer.
Use shade cloth, mesh tarps, or shade sails.
Electrolytes for poultry
TBN Ranch Chicken Keeping Resources 