Help moving chicks to coop

[Kris7115]

I have a chicken coop with attached 40'x12' run for my 3 old hens. I put my four new girls, in their 3'x4' dog crate, inside the chicken run 3 weeks ago. All 7 chickens are well-integrated, free range all day, no aggressive behavior, just occasional stink-eye or flap. At dusk, the old girls head to the coop, the new girls head for their dog crate. Now I need the new girls to move out of the dog crate (with perch) into the chicken coop, for sleeping and laying. Tonight I closed their crate door so they couldn't go in, carried the old girls to the outdoor perch, and put the 4 new girls in the coop. No one was very happy...I had planned to move the dog crate out of the run tomorrow, more or less forcing them into the coop. Is this the best way? Suggestions welcome.

 

[BYCforlife]

I have a chicken coop with attached 40'x12' run for my 3 old hens. I put my four new girls, in their 3'x4' dog crate, inside the chicken run 3 weeks ago. All 7 chickens are well-integrated, free range all day, no aggressive behavior, just occasional stink-eye or flap. At dusk, the old girls head to the coop, the new girls head for their dog crate. Now I need the new girls to move out of the dog crate (with perch) into the chicken coop, for sleeping and laying. Tonight I closed their crate door so they couldn't go in, carried the old girls to the outdoor perch, and put the 4 new girls in the coop. No one was very happy...I had planned to move the dog crate out of the run tomorrow, more or less forcing them into the coop. Is this the best way? Suggestions welcome.

I just had to let my new hens sleep outside for a few weeks. Eventually they moved inside.

 

[Kris7115]

I love it when the best answer is the simple one. Thx!

 

[chickens really]

Leave them to figure it out....Sounds like things are working out....

 

[lazy gardener]

As long as they are safe and secure "outside". When I moved my pullets to the coop, I had to herd them in at dusk for about a week.

 

[aart]

How big is the coop?
How many roost and how long are they?

 

[Kris7115]

coop has three 4' roosts, floor space is approx 6'x3', with four large nestboxes attached. They seem to be doing better -0 the old 3 cackle a lot, and loudly, when the newbies show up, but now, one qweek in, seem more accepting.

 

[aart]

6x3 is tight space for 7 birds.
...and would love to see pic of how you fit three 4' roosts in there.