I need tips for putting chickens into the coop/run for the first time.

[sandiatonimarie]

My girls are 8 weeks old, the coop is ready but I realized I have no idea about what is the best time and way to put them in their new coop/run.

Is there a time of day that's better? Should I close them up in their hen house in the evening the first night and then let them out to check out the rest of their area in the morning or does it matter?

This is my first flock of chickens so it's not about introducing new chickens to other stock, just want the chickens to have the best "moving" experience.

Any tips appreciated.

Thanks

 

[SkyStorm]

I would put them in there for a day, then bring them back to there cage right now for the night. Do that for a couple days then one night leave them in there pen. They will get use to it much better this way. I have never done it but I read that's how you do it. I am going to try it like that for my chicks. Good Luck hope your chicks like there new home!

 

[sandiatonimarie]

Cool! That does sound gentler than just putting them in a totally new space.

 

[nsanywhere]

Is the run in the pen covered?

I would recommend putting them in the coop at night and closing them in. Let them out in the morning and give them some treats - scratch, kitchen scraps, etc.

In the evening, shoo them into the coop and close them up again. Out and treats in the morning. Keep doing this for about a week and they will most likely start putting themselves to bed (but keep checking until they do, don't just assume). If you do your morning chores around the same time they will also come out on their own in the morning and be there to greet you when you arrive with food

 

[sandiatonimarie]

Yes, run and hen house all one unit, all sides enclosed with hardware cloth, entire top is polycarbonate/suntuff roofing.

 

[sandiatonimarie]

I would recommend putting them in the coop at night and closing them in. Let them out in the morning and give them some treats - scratch, kitchen scraps, etc.

In the evening, shoo them into the coop and close them up again. Out and treats in the morning. Keep doing this for about a week and they will most likely start putting themselves to bed (but keep checking until they do, don't just assume). If you do your morning chores around the same time they will also come out on their own in the morning and be there to greet you when you arrive with food

I liked both of these suggestions but ended up doing the one above. The weather here has been so windy that the chickens chose to spend a lot of time in the henhouse rather than the run until today. About three days, they were in the henhouse and not coming out even with the door open. They would stand in the doorway, the wind would blow hard and they'd duck back in the henhouse. There's food and water in the run and in the henhouse. Today was nice so they did spend a lot of time in their run and I noticed that they are very active in the run but when they got tired, they did go back to the henhouse. So I am thinking that they already understand that the henhouse is the place to sleep. I haven't had to do much shooing, tonight I had three that kind of wanted to stay out but after a few minutes of realizing that the others weren't coming back, the stragglers decided they should go in. I thought getting them to go in at night would be hard but it was easy and I'll continue doing this until I'm sure that they do actually put themselves to bed.

So this has been an easy way to get them set up in their coop/run. Thanks!​

 

[debilorrah]

I take my cage brooder out to the coop, hook up the light and leave the cage in there for a few days. Then I open the door and leave it like that for a few days. Then I remove the cage brooder. By the time I remove the cage, they no longer have any interest in being in it. I leave the lamp in there, mainly because mine are still 10 weeks and 7 weeks. So they need the heat if if is cold out.

Today they were all out in the run, roosting and dust bathing.

 

[nlove_3000]

Quote:
Do you mind if I ask where you are? It's been flippin' windy here too. I just kicked my gals out to the coop too. It also took them a little to get used to the wind. They run when they see or hear a hawk and go right in at any threat of danger....but tonight they were huddling and crying in the chill til I shooed them all in. I'm in Ellensburg, WA. We're situated in a valley and from what I hear the wind advisory here goes pretty much all spring.

 

[sandiatonimarie]

I'm in central New Mexico, very windy in the spring is typical for us.

have to add - I'm in the mountains in a long canyon at about 7,000 feet elevation. That canyon bottoms out just east of Albuquerque "windy" is an understatement.