Do pullets need to stay in coop for first few days?

[KnARanch]

We got our three pullets, now approaching 16 weeks, when they were 7 1/2 weeks old, so we didn’t hatch them and they didn’t imprint on us. Although they follow me around, etc., they still act as if I am wearing a hockey mask and carrying a chain saw when I try to touch one.

So this afternoon, Hubs was leaning over their yard-ranging fence and dropped his phone on the Easter egger. She promptly flew out into an unfenced area that thankfully was still within our overall fenced backyard.

A jolly chase ensued.

I couldn’t get near her, but I was able to “encourage” her back to their run.

It would have been pretty awful if she hadn’t known where the run was, including the very real possibility of her flying over the backyard fence into our busy side street.

We didn’t enclose them in their coop when we first got them, but that’s because they were in a large and secure run. In your situation, yes, keep them in their coop at first. They’ll enjoy checking it out.

Oh my! I'm happy you were able to capture her! We have decided to wait until *everything* is ready!

 

[KnARanch]

But the new box is a bigger box, so it will still be an improvement.

Moving into a new place can be overwhelming for chickens, so they may actually be happier if they learn to be comfortable in the coop, and then when they experience the outdoor run they can retreat to the coop (familiar by then) to feel secure.

Maybe it would help if you think of them as getting to expand twice: once into a big exciting new coop, and later into a big exciting run as well.

Sometimes just looking at it a little differently can make it feel different to the person (which is useful if you think something is probably better, but you just don't feel good about it.)

Thank you, NatJ