Moving a semi permanent coop/run.

[Virginia7790]

So my set up is basically two small portable coops that I put one of each on each end of my run made from an old dog pen. It's open on the top so a couple hens get out, and I eventually intend on them all free ranging, but since I've only had them a week tomorrow, they've been mostly keep in their run. Tomorrow we want to move the whole set up to a different area in the yard since that area is already getting torn up (the plan is to move it often), but it's not exactly an easy thing to do. We have to move each piece separately. So since I've only had them a week, should I lock them in the coops while we move the whole pen, or will they understand where to go to lay, eat eat/drink and roost if I let them free range while I move everything to a different spot in the yard? I don't want to confuse them, and a couple hens already started laying in the tall grass, I found 5 eggs today outside the pen. Thoughts?

 

[sumi]

Since they are still fairly new I'd keep them in the coops this time, while moving them, give them a day or 3 to get used to the new location and then let them free range. When I start free ranging I wait until an hour before roost time before letting them out, so they don't wander too far from the coop and learn early on to go back when it's dark. Once they learned where home is and to go back inside by themselves, I let them out for longer periods.