Finally finished the Cozy Coop and girls won't enter it (Photo)

[chickenfeeva]

Well I just moved my two New Hampshire Reds into their newly completed playhouse coop. Good thing too, since one of them promptly laid an egg. Thanks to all the advice I found on this forum I added more ventilation and started them on sand sprinkled with DE. The flys have already found them though and are all over. My one problem is getting the chickens in and out of the henhouse. I had to place them in last night, which was fine, but I could not get them to come out today until 3 PM. They were starving and finally came out when enticed with treats. Will they figure this out on their own or will I have to continue doing it for them for the time being???

Hopefully the above picture link will work. That is the problem with having a computer guru for a husband...I never learn to do anything myself!

 

[Suburban chick farmer 09]

Lock them up for about a week before letting them out. They will be ready to get out and by then realize where home is.

 

[WitksChicks]

When I moved my 7 week olds to their new coop, I kept them in the coop for 5 days, while we finished their predator proof run. They quickly got the hang of the roosting bars, as I had some small ones in their brooder. Once we opened the pop door, they inquizatively came parading down the ramp (a great video opportunity). The first two or three nights we had to herd, even pick them up put them on the ramp and guide them, back up the ramp and into the coop. Now it's like clockwork.

 

[barred-rocks-rock]

lock them in the coop for a while

 

[Mahonri]

Good job. They'll get it down soon enough.

 

[mikecnorthwest]

It looks great. I'd love to see some more views and the inside.

 

[Thomas423]

Nice coop/run.

The girls will get the hang of it. With them being older/bigger I don't know if I would lock them in for days but if you put them in at night and entice them out in the morning I believe that they will get the hang of it soon. It seems chickens don't like new things but once they get used to it nature will take over and they will go in at night all on their own.

Good luck and let us know how it goes in a few days.

 

[b.hromada]

Very, very nice.

They learn after a while, not to worry.

 

[tiffanyh]

Very nice...maybe there just enjoying the weather!!

 

[kuntrygirl]

Very cute!!!