Question about adding pullets to existing coop.

[aart]

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Oh, that's not the one I recall...barriers were solid and extended beyond the roost.

 

[Sinadrea]

View attachment 3944952

Thank you and that's a beautiful setup.

 

[azygous]

I think those were the plastic curtains I hung over a perch for five Welsummer pullets who couldn't roost without a giant squabble each night with the ones on either side of them. I may have deleted that one from my files.

I have used feed bags and stapled them to the low ceiling over the perch about fourteen inches apart. It costs nothing and is quick and easy to put up. When they are no longer needed, they come down by just yanking them.

These perch dividers work wonders to keep the peace at roosting time, and are especially valuable when integrating youngsters with adults.

 

[Mrs. K]

Feed bags - that is even better than the cardboard, or the shower curtain draping it.

 

[Sinadrea]

Feed bags - that is even better than the cardboard, or the shower curtain draping it.

Do you just put them on top of lower roosting bars or make a wall?

 

[Sinadrea]

Do you just put them on top of lower roosting bars or make a wall?

Scratch that, i just saw the response above

 

[Mrs. K]

You know, another thing that I might try, is flipping the two groups. Put the old girls where you have the littles, and the littles where you have the old girls. I have had very good luck with this. It gives the young birds some chance to explore the area, get some territorial rights so to speak, kind of discombobulates the whole deal.

But it is just at roosting time, I would put up the sight barriers on the roost. I would not have it go to the floor. And don't be surprised if they do not go to what you think is the right spot. What I think will happen, is the old girls will roost, and they young ones will try and roost by them - get pushed off, and then should find the safe roosts.

I would put up the divide - let the old girls roost, adjust the divide, and place the young girls on the roost if they didn't catch on. A lot of dinking around, but hey, chickens drive you crazy.

Mrs K

 

[aart]

I have used feed bags and stapled them to the low ceiling over the perch about fourteen inches apart. It costs nothing and is quick and easy to put up. When they are no longer needed, they come down by just yanking them.

That sounds more like I remember.

 

[Sinadrea]

You know, another thing that I might try, is flipping the two groups. Put the old girls where you have the littles, and the littles where you have the old girls. I have had very good luck with this. It gives the young birds some chance to explore the area, get some territorial rights so to speak, kind of discombobulates the whole deal.

But it is just at roosting time, I would put up the sight barriers on the roost. I would not have it go to the floor. And don't be surprised if they do not go to what you think is the right spot. What I think will happen, is the old girls will roost, and they young ones will try and roost by them - get pushed off, and then should find the safe roosts.

I would put up the divide - let the old girls roost, adjust the divide, and place the young girls on the roost if they didn't catch on. A lot of dinking around, but hey, chickens drive you crazy.

Mrs K

Thank you, I have the pullets in a little dog pen so I'm not sure if I could put the hens and a rooster un the pen at this time. I am thinking of just leading them to the coop for now and if they don't go in by October I will try the bag barriers and see what I can do. I maybe will mess with them when it's dark because I haven't been able to easily handle the older ones.
I also see you're in Western SD. I am in SE SD.

 

[Mrs. K]

Hello Neighbor!