How to merge and move flocks at the same time

[Folly's place]

Plan on the entire 12'x16' space as coop!
Mary

 

[ChicknWing]

Appreciate everyone's feedback. The answer to the automatic door opener is that I do have it. However, I was planning on keeping everyone locked in the new coop for a few days so that they get used to it being their new home. Otherwise, if they go out in the morning, they will not know to come back in to their new space. Please let me know if my thinking is wrong about this.

With regards to the using the entire 16 x 12 space as a coop, the only reason I thought I did not need to do that is because I was not planning on keeping any food or water inside once the birds got acclimated to the new coop. At the moment, both water and feed are in their pen / run area. That is how I have always kept it. The birds usually only go in to their coops to lay eggs. Otherwise, they remain in the run areas. The main run is around 14' x 5' or so plus two additional areas of about 5 x 3 or so. The existing coops and runs are all connected together.

 

[aart]

However, I was planning on keeping everyone locked in the new coop for a few days so that they get used to it being their new home.

I think that's a good plan considering the situation,
just be ready to adjust if things get dicey.

The main run is around 14' x 5' or so plus two additional areas of about 5 x 3 or so. The existing coops and runs are all connected together.

Would you post some pics of this whole area?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Appreciate everyone's feedback. The answer to the automatic door opener is that I do have it. However, I was planning on keeping everyone locked in the new coop for a few days so that they get used to it being their new home. Otherwise, if they go out in the morning, they will not know to come back in to their new space.

Oh yes, I forgot about that... I'd keep that open as an option if you notice any problems arising, I'd rather deal with taking a little longer to get them to accept a new home rather than dealing with injuries on birds.

 

[ChicknWing]

Oh yes, I forgot about that... I'd keep that open as an option if you notice any problems arising, I'd rather deal with taking a little longer to get them to accept a new home rather than dealing with injuries on birds.

Sounds good. I'll keep that as an option.

 

[ChicknWing]

I think that's a good plan considering the situation,
just be ready to adjust if things get dicey.



Would you post some pics of this whole area?

 

[ChicknWing]

This is a frame grab from a camera I was using to keep any eye out for predators and added the notations to send to the Adoor automatic door company about an issue I was having. But this is the current setup. The new coop being built is directly in front of Coop 2. Which has since been moved to the opposite side next to coop 1.

This is the large Pen / Run to which the two coops are connected to with their smaller runs. The coops are raised and have space under them as well.

Hope this helps with the visualization.

 

[aart]

Great pics, thanks!
You probably know this but, once you let them back out into the run, you'll have to close off the other coops or they may want back in there.
Will you move the ador to the new coop?

They should be ecstatic at having 12x16' of coop space...
...can't imagine how 37 birds stuffed themselves into those two tiny coops.

 

[ChicknWing]

Great pics, thanks!
You probably know this but, once you let them back out into the run, you'll have to close off the other coops or they may want back in there.
Will you move the ador to the new coop?

They should be ecstatic at having 12x16' of coop space...
...can't imagine how 37 birds stuffed themselves into those two tiny coops.

Since I had two coops, I was using two different automatic door openers. The Ador and Chicken Guard. I moved the Chicken Guard door opener to the new coop. And yes. I will be removing access to the old coops once everyone is rehomed.

As for the 37 birds stuffing themselves into the existing small coops, it's actually about 30. The other 7 are in a separate coop which is in the basement. The 30 tend to sleep both on the roosts as well as in the nesting boxes. Hence the reason for the bigger coop. The 7 that are in the basement were only suppose to have been there for a week or two while the new coop was built. Little did I know that it would take 2 months, be so complicated, require a carpenter and cost an arm & a leg! But, it's almost finished. Just need to finish up some exterior cosmetic work. Hope to have everyone moved in together in a day or two.

 

[aart]

As for the 37 birds stuffing themselves into the existing small coops, it's actually about 30.

Oh, that makes a big difference(not) Just kidding, mostly.
We all live and learn. They are gonna love the huge new coop...you will too!
..and the small coops will come in very handy in the future.