Introduction to existing flock and new coop. Introduction not going well

[Birdsong 82]

I felt it was time and my young chickens were ready to be introduced to my hens. My older chickens are Rhode Island Reds so introduction takes a little bit longer because they are quite… Well… Sassy. Wow I was introducing them I decided to open up the new area of the expanded run and let them have their new coop. We were expected to have the coop complete two weeks ago But the weather has been everything but friendly. So as the young chickens got bigger I put two of my mini coops together just for a week to give them more room to sleep in. They decided they wanted to sleep on top of the houses instead of in them. I’m usually OK with that because my run is built like Fort Knox. When I open them up after that one week to introduce them they love the new coop And jumped in it right and it played and ate and pooped in it. But that night they went back to the other side of the run and roosted on the mini coops. OK they are probably just used to it. But I want them to start using the coop. So my question is do I Just force them to sleep in there one night? I don’t want to throw them off. One reason I would like all of my chickens to start sleeping in the coop in that Coop is because within a week with him just a few miles of me unless there has been five bear sightings. So I don’t want them in the run where they can just be seen. So if I locked them in force them to stay in the new coop should I put all the chickens in there or just the young chickens and then slowly the older chickens? The introduction to the new chickens isn’t going so well but it’s slowly getting better

 

[Clousic Chicks]

I was having the same issue. I recently rehomed my sweet old hens and bought chicks and ducks. We kept them separate in the brooder box. When it was time to move them to the coop and duck house....the chicks chose to go in the duck house! I ended up taking them out every night to put them in the coop. Then one night I found them on top of the duck house "roosting"--can't say that I blame as those ducks are messy and stinky!! However, they were easy to move because they were pretty much asleep. This went on night after night. So, last night I put a 4' piece of garden hose that is curved at either end on top of the duck house. It looked like a snake! When I went out to see what had happened--all the chicks were in the coop and all the ducks were in the duck house! I'm going to keep doing this until these sweet hens-to-be get the idea!

 

[KikiLeigh02]

I would sneak them onto the roost with your others after they are settled for the night if you can. It may take a few nights, and you may end up having to remove the mini-coop. The last ones I integrated didn't roost with the others voluntarily until I removed their other option.

 

[Birdsong 82]

Well the only problem is is that the two small coops they were sleeping on top of our part of the run. I had wire separating the young and old ones until recently when they were old enough to be introduced. I really not to preferred to put the wire back up and block them from that area of the run because inside one of the small coop is where they have started laying their eggs. I’m afraid if I block them from their nest box that they like to use it they screw them up on laying. They probably won’t it’s probably just my paranoia. When I got home from work yesterday I noticed the older hens were in a line blocking the opening to the expanded part of the run. So I let my older ones out to free Range and when they came back seems a little better. My older chickens have always slept on top of this little playhouse they have inside the run. Like I said that’s never bothered me because of how predator proof I have made my run but now with all these bear sightings I don’t want them to be right there to be seen. But I don’t think putting them all in the new coop at the same time would be a good idea At this point

 

[Birdsong 82]

I would sneak them onto the roost with your others after they are settled for the night if you can. It may take a few nights, and you may end up having to remove the mini-coop. The last ones I integrated didn't roost with the others voluntarily until I removed their other option.

None of the chickens are roosting in the new coop and I’m sure that’s because every body is used to where they always sleep. The young ones just got used to their spot real fast. A week. I’m afraid one of the mini coop’s if I pick it up if they fall apart. I’ve had to put supports on it twice and it’s great now but kind of afraid to move it. But I’m afraid to have all the chickens raised together just yet because this introduction is going worse than it usually is. But it’s getting better as far as their behavior but it’s only been a couple days

 

[Birdsong 82]

So should I introduce the small ones sleeping in there for a few days before I introduce the big ones to sleep in there for a few days? And if I remove or somehow block just the mini Coop would that throw them off from egg laying?

 

[KikiLeigh02]

I'm sorry, I misunderstood. I thought only the new ones were sleeping outside the coop. That's tough, I'm interested to see what everyone else says. If it's brand new territory for both groups I would probably still wait until everyone is settled and then move them into the coop. You could always leave the door open until they get used to the new routine.

 

[Birdsong 82]

Im sorry if I explained it weird because it’s kind of a confusing situation. My older birds have always choose to sleep outside in less whether forces them to do otherwise. But the new ones have also decided to sleep outside in a different section of the run. Other than the fact that we spent a lot and I mean a lot of time building the coop I really want them to start sleeping in the coop no matter what the weather is especially since we’ve had lots bear sightings this past week and about six months ago we had several sightings too Like really close to my house. I was hoping introducing them both to the new area would be a little easier since it doesn’t really “belong “ To any of them yet so I figured it would be kind of a neutral ground.