Moving chickens and ducks from Brooder crate to new coop

[byounghusband]

I am nearing completion of the shed to coop project and was wondering what will be the best way to get the girls accustomed to using their new digs.
The crate is in my shop and they free range during daylight hours and come back into the shop as light fades. We have to gather 4-6 of them off the rafters and roll up door to get them back into the crate. Chicken wrangling at it's best. Apparently our barn cat assisted my wife last night on with a runner. Chased it back into the shop.

I'll be posting up a thread on the conversion soon, but wanted to know the best way to get them in the coop when I'm finished.

 

[sylviethecochin]

Home is where the feed is.

Let them go a little hungry during the day--don't feed them nothing, but don't feed them everything they'd like--and in the evening, put feed in the coop. Then close the door after them. After you do this for about a week, they should get well accustomed. Especially if you start locking them out of their old home.