Getting hens acclimated to coop

[fairskies]

So, I'm new to raising chickens. My first six chicks are doing well iso far, though we've had them a whopping nine days. Here's my question: When I get ready to move them out to their coop (they are set up in our shop right now) do I need to set up a temporary run for them to use for a couple of days while they adjust to the coop?

Eventually, they will have free run of the 1/2 acre yard, but my concern is that if I move them straight from the shop to the yard, they won't go the coop at night unless I've contained them in the area right by the coop for a few days first. Another idea I've had is for the few nights before I move them out to the coop, to put them into the coop at night and move them back to the shop in the morning.

Honestly, though, I'm clueless on this.

 

[sepaditty1]

Usually, once they know where home is, they'll go there on their own at night. One way to accomplish this is to keep them confined to their coop for a few days after you move them & don't let them out to run. Then, when you do let them out, they are already used to roosting in the coop.

 

[PapaChaz]

Usually, once they know where home is, they'll go there on their own at night. One way to accomplish this is to keep them confined to their coop for a few days after you move them & don't let them out to run. Then, when you do let them out, they are already used to roosting in the coop.

^^ yup ^^ oughta do it right there.........

 

[fairskies]

Haha, thanks folks. All this worrying about it and it didn't even occur to me to just leave them in the dang coop for a couple of days.

 

[JackE]

I'd say leave them in there a couple of weeks, so they really get the idea, they are supposed to go in there at the end of the day. At least that has been my experience. Talk about herding cats, try herding about 20 pullets up a ramp, and through a hole, back into the coop. That's an adventure.