How do I get them to move to a different coop?

[justlearning]

We have one small coop which was designed for our bantams which we put our "little girls" in until they were big enough to move into the main coop. Everyone has integrated wonderfully in the yard but we are now trying to get the newbies to move into the larger coop. The bantam coop is not big enough to house them permanently. We have been moving them each night to sleep in the main coop and each night they still try to go into the bantam coop. Tonight we locked the bantam coop early (put our 4 bantams in) and hoped they would go into the main coop. That didn't happen.
So how do I convince them that this is their new home? This is only our second year at raising chickens.
Do we lock them in for a few days? Or just keep moving them nightly until they catch on?

 

[centrarchid]

Lock them in new coop during day for a few days is first option.

Or at night place small coop in new coop and do not release birds from small coop until near end of day.

Either option will promote imprinting in new location.

 

[justlearning]

My concern with keeping them locked in is the heat we have been having. They have been enjoying hanging out under the big evergreen tree and perching in its branches during the day.
There is no way to get the little coop in the big coop.

 

[centrarchid]

Put some sort of sunblock above coop birds to be confined in. Make certain water is available at all times. Make certain airflow is not obstructed. Young chickens are much tougher than adults when it comes to tolerating heat, especially when not in direct sun. I keep as many as a dozen chicks in a 4' x 4' x 4' pen on ground with a piece of plywood to block sunlight from about noon to 6:00 PM and even though they get hot, no mortalities and they grow well. Keep water to them.