built new coop and chickens wont go there

[10acres]

I have 7 RIR hens and 2 RIR roosters, they had been housing in a very small area, about 7 foot tall by 3 foot wide by 5 foot long, They have slept there and let out every morning for about 4 or 5 months until we got the much larger area made up, so one night I went while they were sleeping and moved them, we kept them up for about 3 weeks before letting them out and that night they would not go back to the new coop, they wanted in the old one, finally it was long after dark and they were just still standing outside the old coop, so i opened it up and let them in and now they will not go back to the new coop.

The main reason for moving them was because they were laying eggs all around the property becuase they did not have but 2 boxes for laying in the small area. Is there any hope for the new coop?

Its not breezy, plenty of space, 12 foot wide by 24 foot long or more! If they do not start going in there I have to keep them hemmed up forever and I hate to do that for them as they love running the 10 acres we have here.

 

[Bullitt]

Maybe you should try giving them feed or treats in the evening in the new coop. That should get the chickens to come running into the new coop. I think if you do that for a few evenings in a row they will get in the habit of going to the new coop to roost.

 

[10acres]

thanks, tried that and they wont even follow me over there to the new coop lol its like they know whats up lol.

I even have there feeder in there too, but they wait for me to come out the back door and then come racing to me but if i head over to the new coop they stop half way there lol.

these crazy chickens are smart

 

[Bullitt]

Some people use a fishing net to catch them and put them in the new coop. Start feeding them in the evening, and catch them and lock them in the new coop for the night.

Hopefully they will start catching on that they aren't going back to the old coop.

 

[centrarchid]

If confining birds in new coop is not practical, then try following. Determine which rooster is highest ranking / leader. Block off old coop. Then in evening as birds attempt to access to go to roost, gently catch dominant bird. If he does not let you simply pick him up, then sit in a lawn chair near old coop and read paper or book as they try to get into roost. With my birds, even the red jungle fowl which are essentially wild, they will eventually jump up on you or top of coop and attempt to settle in. When dominant rooster does so catch him gently and carry him gently, not upside down, to new coop and place him on roosting pole in coop. Hopefully he will produce a sound that will call some of other flock members to new coop if they can hear him. Many times for me, the other birds will fly up to be near rooster already on desired roost. Chickens already in roost will give a call to flock mates calling them up if bird already in place finds it suitable. It may take more than one effort to get flock to adopt new location. Key is getting at least some birds to fly up to new location under their own power at roosting time.

I have difficulty getting birds to adopt new roost if moving them once commited for night to old roost. Stressing / scaring birds during move will be counter productive so avoid such.

This system has worked experimentally with juveniles but is more work than alternative method I presently use to keep groups of different ages roosting in separate locations.