When we introduce new chicks we keep them in an old water trough with a piece of fencing on the top for about 3 weeks then we let the new ones out in the coop when the others go out for the day and then by then they are all happy together. We have chickens and guineas together. We mounted egg crates and added a little edge to them to keep the eggs from rolling out. Works well and out of 13 chickens they all lay in about 2 of the nesting boxes. I think we have 8 set up.

 

Also you'd be surprised at what the biggest Roos can get in/out of. Make the opening large enough to accommodate your Roos. Better slightly larger than too small.

Your hens will all have their favorite nesting box, I personally recommend 1 box per 5 hens to be on the safe side. My biggest hen prefers the box that is on the tippidy top and has to fly from the roost over to the perch then hop into the box. But whatever! She loves that spot.

As for guinea introduction, always introduce new fowl after quarantine at night. When I first got guineas, I had one feral hen creep into the coop with my chicken flock and I bought her a lavender boyfriend. He was more scared of the chickens than they were of him! After a while he did start "chasing" the flock around when they got too close to "his" area and grabbing tails, but all guineas grab their tails for some reason. I purchased a white hen shortly after, she was a touch meaner, but when you introduce a guinea to a flock of chickens your size I would not worry about a thing. If you had like one hen I would be more nervous about it, but they'll be fine!

 

You're right on with the roosters. With your number, you will need that many if you want fertile eggs.

As for guineas, have you considered 2 females/1 male? In my experience our females are way less nervous. They lay (in early summer of course) in the nesting boxes with the hens, they tend to stick closer to home, and they're better companions to the chickens, as males tend to be a bit more "mean"/"bully". Btw I love royal purple!

As for nesting boxes, 1 foot off the ground is more than supple for JG and RIR. Are you housing them together? Just curious what you'd do come time for egg collection. The Roos will develop an anarchy of hens, and I can promise you the RIR Roos will have some JG hens and vice versa. Our roosts are 3-4 feet up in the air, we have ladder rungs and dowels. The big fat JG, Orp, and Maran hens have no problem getting up on the top rungs.

 

Are the RIR and BJG going to be kept separate? Are you planning to hatch chicks? Depending on your answers, I probably wouldn't get that many roosters. The nesting box you showed should be fine.

 

My roosters and guinea get along fine. I introduced the 14 guinea to the flock of about 40 chickens through a fence first for about two weeks. When I removed it, the guinea went straight into the chicken coop with the chickens the very first night. All of them were roosted together. Guineas right next to Roo's.

I would def. introduce them first though... in a cage / fence... I bought a couple new full grown hens once when I first started with chickens and put them directly in the coop. They were dead within a week. Make sure the flock accepts them.

 

Re: Chicken Nesting Boxes?- Rhode Island Reds & Jersey Giant

I had standard hens and a JG rooster.
He could go anywhere the hens could so I dont think it would make much a difference. :scratch: