Teaching chickens to use new coop for laying eggs.

[bbecca]

I will be adding an additional mini coop to my existing run and coop and am hoping to encourage my hens to lay in the new coop. I want to renovate their existing coop and take out their nesting boxes and just build more roost perches. How do I get the chickens to go into the new coop to lay eggs in there? My goal is they’ll have two coops attached to the run, one for laying eggs and one for roosting at night. Will that work or confuse them?

 

[Sally PB]

How old are the chickens? If they're used to one coop and have been using it for both laying and sleeping, what you want to do might be a hard sell for them.

 

[bbecca]

How old are the chickens? If they're used to one coop and have been using it for both laying and sleeping, what you want to do might be a hard sell for them.

They are 2 and 3 years old. However I am getting new baby’s soon. Maybe just teach the new ones to use it?

 

[Sally PB]

Maybe just teach the new ones to use it?

That would be easier, I think.

 

[Saveria]

That is a better bet. I have never done what you are describing, but from just general behavior I'd bet most would use the old one and maybe a couple would use the new one.

People usually enclose them completely in a new space for two weeks to get them to recognize it as "the new home". That may not be practical, I know, but that usually does it.