A coop for "jungle fowl"

[PJ22]

Hi everyone. I live in Hawaii and my chickens are feral. I love them and have rehabilitated a little rooster they gang almost killed. He is spending his second night outside tonight with the gang now that he is big enough and is accepted. I am proud of his recovery and glad he is being accepted AND I will miss the routine of bringing him in at night to sleep in the guest bedroom

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Now, on to my question. I want to build a coop.... mainly for population control (so I can find their eggs) and maybe a few eggs to eat. These chickens are used to the outdoors and there are no real predators I need to protect them from. So what would be the ideal design for a coop? I was thinking just a three sided shelter but am unsure about what the inside should look like. How to make it alluring to lay eggs in there. I assume that if I feed them in there and make a comfy place to sleep (they sleep in the trees and bushes now) they would lay eggs. Any suggestions? Thanks ahead of time. The information here has been so helpful to me in raising my little guy and in not panicking about an outbreak of fowl pox recently. Just as was posted here, the fowl pox just went away on its own.
aloha

 

[CluckyJay]

I would make them as comfortable as possible. Set up a feeding station close to where you want to build the coop. Since you are freeranging them, getting them to lay in a designated spot might be hard to do.

I would suggest penning some hens up in the area you want them to lay. After they lay as they should for at least a couple weeks, then you can release them. If they enjoy the spot you chose, they might go back, even when freed. Mine "usually" hop back into their coop to lay and then leave when they are done.

You might also want to steal some babies and raise them in a pen and then release them when they are laying in a nesting box.

Chickens like dark, enclosed spaces to lay their eggs. I would add some dried hay or other grass to make a comfy nest.

Good luck!

 

[joan1708]

They say the nest box should be a quite, dark and cozy place. If they now lay under bushes, you might try leaving a nest box on the ground. They also say to put a fake egg or golf ball in it. Have you seen the you tube video of the gal who makes the nest boxes out of used black shrub pots (I think it was a 5 gallon pot)? Anyway, good luck. I'm wondering where you live in Hawaii. I'm guessing on Oahu in Manoa valley (That's where I've seen ferrel chickens)

 

[PJ22]

Thanks for your helpful suggestions. I may be up against nature a bit too much expecting them to lay in a designated area since they are wild. I did try putting a box under an area where they hang out (bushes) with a golf ball in it...but nothing ever happened egg wise.
I live on Maui in a rural area. There are tons of feral chickens all over this island. They are considered a nuisance by many but I love them. They CAN get a bit out of control population wise for me though, thus my idea of stealing their eggs to prevent more chicks. I would let them all fend for themselves but I am invested in my little guy making it right now. He goes into the dog carrier fairly readily so maybe just making sure he gets enough to eat in there will be the strategy for now. aloha

 

[joan1708]

I'm surprised the mongoose don't get them.