How to get chooks to go to their new coop?

[wullus]

Okay, so we already had an existing flock of chickens of my parents, and I bought 4 chooks to start my own flock, but I put them with my parent's for a few days when I got them because I didn't have anywhere to put them.

I got my chicken coop today and moved 2 hens inside it (i also stole my parent's rooster for the time being to try and get him to fertilize the eggs, so that I can hatch more of my own). I took the two chooks out this morning (not the rooster yet), and have let them free-range at various times of the day. I let both of the flocks free-ranging, but I didn't let them out at the same times as each other, so that they wouldn't mingle and mix and go back to each other again. Anyway, these two hens kept going to the other coop and scratching around outside there, and when I went to put them away, I had to chase them and pick them up and put them back in. The second time I let them out, I used a special squirter-nozzle on our hose to direct them into the house, but it took a long time (and no, I wasn't being cruel, i was trying to train them to go in without me physically picking them up).

Now just a few minutes ago, when it went dark and the other flock went to roost, I went in and gently took the sleepy rooster off the perch and put it in with these two other chooks. The problem is, I'm thinking this rooster won't want to stay in this house, and will keep trying to go back to the old one? How would I approach this? This rooster isn't really the attacking-aggressive type, he is scared s***less of anyone going near him, and often allows the other hens to peck stuff out of his beak when he finds food.

I plan to put the rooster back with the other flock eventually, I just want him to fertilize some eggs.

Also, it's autumn at the moment (in Queensland, Australia), where it doesn't snow or anything, just gets cold. These two hens haven't started laying yet... would they still be settling in? Thanks

 

[ChickenCanoe]

They want to sleep where they have imprinted that it is safe to sleep.
You're going to have to keep them confined for several days till they get used to sleeping in the new building. You may have to build a temporary pen around the new coop to get them reoriented.

 

[CorinneP]

Takes a little time to get settled some times .. I would just keep trying to make it as inviting as you can. They will settle in eventually I am sure.

 

[wullus]

Alright, thanks for your help. I might send the rooster back to the other lot if he wants to... idunno see what happens. Might even just buy some day old chicks instead of trying to breed them.

Also, how long does it take before these hens start laying? I got them last Thursday, and none of them have (they are all point-of-lays)! We're starting to let them free-range today, would that speed up the process?

My grandma bought a few from the same place we did three weeks ago, and said to me today, "Oh, have yours started layin' yet? The bloody things we got aren't and it must be the change of feed or somethin'!" Could this be the cause? And the stress of moving? Thanks for your help

 

[ChickenCanoe]

If they do get away you can use scratch to entice them back to the new building. I don't chase chickens.
I had roosters continually try to get back to their old building for over a week when I built their permanent quarters 40 feet from the old one.

 

[CorinneP]

Were they laying before the move? If so it can take a couple days to start again after a move, if they were not laying at all the introduction of the rooster wont make them lay . Stress can be a big Factor .. And the Rooster might be stressing them a bit if they are not used to him .

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Do you know when they hatched? Onset of lay can be anywhere from 18 weeks to 6 months or more. They're creatures of habit, moving them will usually stress them some and any stress can affect laying. They'll lay when they settle in if old enough. Two other things - daylength and diet.
They need good nutrition to lay well and since it is autumn there your days are getting shorter. Some breeds reaching POL in late autumn may wait till late winter when days start to lengthen.
If they are 20 weeks or more, I'd put a light on a timer to get the day length up to 12 hours or so. It doesn't need to be bright.

 

[wullus]

Were they laying before the move? If so it can take a couple days to start again after a move, if they were not laying at all the introduction of the rooster wont make them lay . Stress can be a big Factor .. And the Rooster might be stressing them a bit if they are not used to him .

Ummm... I'm not sure if they were. When I got them, they were in a small hutch/run with about 20-30 other chooks (cos they are for sale), so I'd say probably not... and yeah, I think I'll lose the rooster in the morning, back to the other crowd

Do you know when they hatched? Onset of lay can be anywhere from 18 weeks to 6 months or more. They're creatures of habit, moving them will usually stress them some and any stress can affect laying. They'll lay when they settle in if old enough. Two other things - daylength and diet.
They need good nutrition to lay well and since it is autumn there your days are getting shorter. Some breeds reaching POL in late autumn may wait till late winter when days start to lengthen.
If they are 20 weeks or more, I'd put a light on a timer to get the day length up to 12 hours or so. It doesn't need to be bright.

We have longer days in summer, not winter, and summer isn't until December. Will this mean they won't lay at all during the winter if the days are shorter? Thanks