Any Suggestions, please - disheartened Mum

[tamz08]

Hi All, please can anyone give me their idea/opinion? Just made a new coop, which is an extension joined to the back of the existing one. 3 nights have passed and we put in a camera to see if they were using it and they are still all roosting in the existing coop. They are managing to find the nesting boxs which to get to they have to go right through the new coop to the back. I know its early days but we are very disheartened as it took a HARD WORKING 3 weeks to finish the new coop. We dont know what to do to encourage them to use it. Tonight we are going to run the perches from the existing coop into the new one and see if that makes a difference. Any suggestions please !!!! Desperate, sadened Mum.

 

[lleighmay]

Don't be discouraged. I'm sure they're just comfortable with their original roosts (which means you did a great job originally providing for their needs) and they just haven't felt a need to spread out. Go ahead and put perches in the new section too and I'm sure they'll use them eventually. I've noticed with my chickens that they are creatures of habit and it takes a while for them to warm up to something/someplace new.

 

[pgpoultry]

Sure fire way to get them to go in is to throw their favourite treats in there!

Once they have gotten used to going in there will be no stopping them,

Sandie

 

[sheaviance1]

I locked up the old coop so that the only option they have is the new one (just this past weekend), the first night, I had to help them find their new home. I spent 30 minutes catching each one and putting her in the new coop. The next night, I only had to catch 3.
Good luck!