Moving chickens in with sheep

[StinkyAcres]

So my coop is falling apart after 12 years and it is not at all safe from predators anymore because of the holes that the rodents have chewed in the OSB siding.
I have a 12'x10' barn (with sturdy wood lap siding) that my two sheep live in and I would like to move my four chickens into the barn.

My plan is to make an area for the chicken feeders that only the chickens can access but the sheep can't. The rest of the barn will be shared by the sheep and chickens. They will be locked up together during cold days, but we leave the windows slightly open for ventilation (along with the open soffit vents) during the entire winter. It gets down to around -11°F here on the coldest nights.

My questions (for now) are:

1. Will my chickens hate living with sheep?
2. Will it be too much stress on the chickens to move them during the winter?
3. What is the best way to keep the chickens out of the sheep's water buckets? Is raising them enough?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Mrs. K]

Do your sheep stay indoors all day? People here, keep their sheep outside all the time, except during lambing.

I think they will ignore each other. I don't think it will bother the chickens, but it might bother the sheep. Maybe they won't want to come back in the barn.

I don't really understand the issue with the water buckets? But unless you have chicks, I don't think it will be a problem unless the chickens poop in the water.

As for stressing the chickens, I would wait for dark, pull them off the roosts, put them in the new barn, and shut the door. Shut up the coop they are in now, so they can't go back in there, and they will be fine.

Mrs K

 

[StinkyAcres]

Do your sheep stay indoors all day? People here, keep their sheep outside all the time, except during lambing.

I think they will ignore each other. I don't think it will bother the chickens, but it might bother the sheep. Maybe they won't want to come back in the barn.

I don't really understand the issue with the water buckets? But unless you have chicks, I don't think it will be a problem unless the chickens poop in the water.

Mrs K

Thanks, Mrs K.

I keep my sheep indoors all day during cold winter days because they are elderly sheep and the pen is on a hill and it gets dangerously icy and slippery.

The sheep have lived near the chickens for almost 13 years and they haven't seemed too bothered by them when they have interacted. When the chickens got in their way the sheep used their heads to gently nudge them out of the way.

I'm worried the chickens will try to use the buckets as perches and contaminate the water.

 

[STACEYH]

I would put a nice roost bar up away from were the sheep sleep. So chicks don't poop on top of them. If roosting bars are higher then the buckets chickens won't even think about roosting on them.

 

[Mrs. K]

I would worry about the daylight? Is it dark in the barn? A lot of our sheds are dark inside.

I do agree with you and the idea of water contamination. I don't see how you can really stop that, and yet allow the sheep to have access to the water. If you change the water frequently that should help.

If you set up preferable perches, a bit higher than the water, that might solve it. Or build a shelf over the top of the water buckets, about 10 inches above, big enough for a sheep head, but not quite tall enough for a bird to perch.

Mrs K

 

[StinkyAcres]

I would worry about the daylight? Is it dark in the barn? A lot of our sheds are dark inside.

Why would a dark barn be a problem? I don't think mine is that dark. There are two large/long windows and one small window, plus the dutch door is open most of the time and the chickens will have access to a run when it's not too cold out.

I do plan to put the roost on the opposite wall of where the sheep usually eat and stay. I'll make sure they're higher than the buckets.

 

[StinkyAcres]

I would put a nice roost bar up away from were the sheep sleep. So chicks don't poop on top of them. If roosting bars are higher then the buckets chickens won't even think about roosting on them.

Thanks! I'll try to keep the roost above the height of the buckets. I do want Jersey Giants one day, so I can't install them too high.

 

[Mrs. K]

One always looks at things from our own point of view. Our sheds don't have windows and are dark. Light is important for chickens, and I would think sheep too.

 

[StinkyAcres]

Should I do a gradual introduction? Maybe bring the chickens into the barn during the day for a few days and see how they react?

 

[STACEYH]

I would wait for dark, pull them off the roosts, put them in the new barn, and shut the door. Shut up the coop they are in now, so they can't go back in there, and they will be fine.

This how I would do it also.