Looking for suggestions

[Blam59]

I built an A frame coop with the intention of moving it around the yard. The coop is 5.5’ wide by 10’ long with a 16 foot run. We have 5 hens that are each producing well.
I am interested on thoughts regarding building a new stationary coop. Will the girls adapt to a new coop or will it traumatize them?

 

[Krugerrand]

I would expect them to be traumatized for a day to a week. Then they'll be over it.

 

[TooCheep]

Chickens don't like change, but honestly it won't be a major problem. Put it in the yard, pull the A-frame up to the door and let them explore it for a day or two and then switch them to it.

One suggestion: Looks like you have chicken wire on the A-frame. I strongly recommend 1/2" hardware cloth for the new coop as it is much stronger and better protection. More expensive, but definitely worth it for the security.

 

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

Chickens hate change. I just upgraded my coop but they still were totally lost and didn't know where to sleep. I kept finding them huddled on my picnic table for a few days and had to individually escort them to the new coop lol. After a few nights, they knew where to go. They will adjust.

Edit: Have you considered saving yourself some time and money and just converting this A-frame into a stationary coop? I'm roughly envisioning building a foundation to secure it to, then covering the entire thing with plywood. From there, you could put shingles or whatever covering you want to make it waterproof. Keep large holes open on both sides for nice cross-ventilation, and then I think you'd have a really nice walk-in coop. It looks like right now you have part of it as a run (or the whole thing as a tractor), but I think it would work well to just make this whole thing the coop and make a separate run. Idk, just brainstorming!

 

[3KillerBs]

Welcome to BYC. Where, in general, are you? Climate matters so if you put your location into your profile people can give better-targeted advice.

I am interested on thoughts regarding building a new stationary coop. Will the girls adapt to a new coop or will it traumatize them?

Chickens hate change, but if the new coop is roomy, has adequate ventilation, is draft-free, and is otherwise good they will quickly adapt.

One helpful practice is to close them into the new coop only for a week or so (must be roomy enough and well-ventilated). That gets them used to thinking of it as home.

 

[aart]

Chickens hate change, but if the new coop is roomy, has adequate ventilation, is draft-free, and is otherwise good they will quickly adapt.

One helpful practice is to close them into the new coop only for a week or so (must be roomy enough and well-ventilated). That gets them used to thinking of it as home.

This^^^

They'll love more space(I assume you will not replicate another Aframe).
Yes, locking them in the new coop for a week, and removing access to the old structure, they will quickly acclimate.

 

[Captain13]

One of my neighbors just built a new 8 x 10 coop and TooCheap‘s suggestion worked for him. He moved his Tractor supply coop up to the human entrance door of the new run. His chickens started going going in immediately. after a few days, they started to go into the new coop in the evenings so he finally closed the new coop door and moved the little coop. He said the transition was pretty smooth doing it that way.