# adding new chickens



## tamsteve (May 10, 2021)

I have four hens that are 5 yrs old, We added this year since they are older and egg production is not as good. So we ended up getting 3 day old chicks, they are now 11 weeks old. They sleep in a dog kennel, 3 weeks ago I started bringing them in the big run with the older girls, see and no touch set up....we ordered a small coop/run to make it easier for me to get them in and out when i'm out there. About a few days ago We started to let them out and mingle with the older ones, it went better then i though even though the second on the pecking order pecked a few and got some feathers....which i'm assuming is normal. I didn't want to have the babies sleep in their new small coop, I really wanted them to sleep in the same coop the older ones are in, we have an automatic door and it's alot bigger, plus i didn't want two transitions from new coop to older coop so I fenced off an area under the poop trays for them to start sleeping in there, first night went ok they were scared but got over it, piled on top of eachother in a corner...the second night they were so hard to get in the big coop at night, we had to literally dump them out of the cat carrier they were scared....the next morning i found my biggest and prettiest chick dead, by a snake, he tried to eat her but she was so big and he couldn't swallow her, sad lesson learned and I felt like crap...but I didn't want them back in the big coop until I knew they were safe, no we haven't caught the snake yet so my husband was wanting to put them in the new coop but mama said NO and they are back in their safe dog kennel lol. I am so paranoid now...I do want them outside but i'm not sure about the new coop, no camera inside and I just feel safer with them in the big coop, I don't want them thinking the small coop is thier permanent home but I also don't want them in the dog kennel to long. Has anyone had another coop while they were young and then put them in the Main coop when they are older? I'm so scared that snake will come back and get another one....so paranoid and attached now. My goal is to have them in the big coop with the big hens by June, we have vacations coming up and we also have a camp and I don't want to be stressed about them not safe....thanks for any advice!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Have you torn the coop apart that had the snake in it? It could still be in there but hidden. You also need to find the place it got in, it doesn't have to be a large space. Something that a mouse can get through is big enough for most snakes.


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## tamsteve (May 10, 2021)

Not sure where he is coming from, I think when the coop door is open during the day he goes in that way, we have had this coop and our first flock for 6 yrs and never lost any chickens to a predator, the babies were on the ground, not on the roost for fear of the big hens attacking them, and go figure a snake got her instead...


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Please don't cross post the same topic.


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## tamsteve (May 10, 2021)

robin416 said:


> Please don't cross post the same topic.


sorry thought I was suppose to post in begineers that's why there are two, newbie again sorry


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

You're forgiven.  We just don't need to see the same thing repeated over and over again on the forum.

And you can post where ever your little heart wants to post. We encourage jumping in anywhere. Even posts that have been around for years. Even posts that make absolutely no sense. Somehow we wander off from time to time. We're a bit eclectic here.


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

robin416 said:


> You're forgiven.  We just don't need to see the same thing repeated over and over again on the forum.
> 
> And you can post where ever your little heart wants to post. We encourage jumping in anywhere. Even posts that have been around for years. Even posts that make absolutely no sense. Somehow we wander off from time to time. We're a bit eclectic here.


Umm, yes, a bit eclectic. And the threads do ramble a bit.


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## Overmountain1 (Jun 5, 2020)

Hey did I tell you guys about- oh wait. 
 Yeah. It’s mostly me. I think I posted earlier that I’m THE WORST at this.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Overmountain1 said:


> Hey did I tell you guys about- oh wait.
> Yeah. It’s mostly me. I think I posted earlier that I’m THE WORST at this.


sigh


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