moving chicks to coop without a run

[Jenn1018]

I have a flock of 13 who are 6 years old and have NEVER met new chickens. I now have 3 polish chicks that I want to move to the coop, but I really don't know how. My dilemma is I only have one coop and the big girls need to come in and lay and I don't have a run where I can let the babies into. They are in a dog crate now in the house. I'm going to move the whole cage to the coop and keep it shut for at least a week, but then do I just open the door and hope for the best and if the babies leave the coop hope that they come back?? anybody have any experience with "coop training" without a run and only one coop?

Thank you...really appreciate any guidance/advice!!

 

[MROO]

Give your babies more than just a week in the see-no-touch dog crate. Wait until the hens no longer pay them any attention. I usually put a long feeder in the kennel, butted up against an outside wall so the hens can get to what's in there, too. Sharing food can be a great equalizer.

When you do open the door up for the babies to go in and out at will, block the top of the door so that the babies can get back in for protection, but the big girls can't follow them. Leaving a space at the bottom works, but so does leaving a few "mouse holes." A piece of hardware cloth (with the raw edges duct-taped) zip-tied to the kennel should work. That should stay in place until you see them all roosting together on a regular basis.

Until they all start sharing a roost, make sure your littler ones have their own place to roost at night - probably a little lower than your main one, especially if it sits up high where the youngsters could get hurt if they're pushed off.

Make sure there are other places for your babies to hide without being cornered, too. I cut junior-sized holes along the bottom of an overturned milk crate for mine. I left "doorways" at opposite ends/sides so the babies could slip out unnoticed if the bigger biddies decided to guard the door. So far, it's worked pretty well.

With a little patience, you can make this work!
Good Luck!

 

[ButtonquailGirl14]

X2

 

[Jenn1018]

Give your babies more than just a week in the see-no-touch dog crate. Wait until the hens no longer pay them any attention. I usually put a long feeder in the kennel, butted up against an outside wall so the hens can get to what's in there, too. Sharing food can be a great equalizer.

When you do open the door up for the babies to go in and out at will, block the top of the door so that the babies can get back in for protection, but the big girls can't follow them. Leaving a space at the bottom works, but so does leaving a few "mouse holes." A piece of hardware cloth (with the raw edges duct-taped) zip-tied to the kennel should work. That should stay in place until you see them all roosting together on a regular basis.

Until they all start sharing a roost, make sure your littler ones have their own place to roost at night - probably a little lower than your main one, especially if it sits up high where the youngsters could get hurt if they're pushed off.

Make sure there are other places for your babies to hide without being cornered, too. I cut junior-sized holes along the bottom of an overturned milk crate for mine. I left "doorways" at opposite ends/sides so the babies could slip out unnoticed if the bigger biddies decided to guard the door. So far, it's worked pretty well.

With a little patience, you can make this work!
Good Luck!

Thank you so much...really appreciate it! after the period in the dog crate, the pop door will be open, do you think they will try to leave? They will have plenty of room in the coop. not really sure how to navigate letting them out into the real world. I certainly wouldn't be able to catch them. Thank you!!

 

[Jules1349]

Thank you so much...really appreciate it! after the period in the dog crate, the pop door will be open, do you think they will try to leave? They will have plenty of room in the coop. not really sure how to navigate letting them out into the real world. I certainly wouldn't be able to catch them. Thank you!!

You can buy a cheap brooder pen from tractor supply or use a dog run pen to put babies in during the day.. have a run but I put my babies in a round dog pen during day and back in coop at night. I do this for about 2 weeks gets the old chickens used to them and gets them used to being outside on a smaller scale . You could also make a your own small pen with chicken wire and green pole spikes for the babies

 

[Jenn1018]

You can buy a cheap brooder pen from tractor supply or use a dog run pen to put babies in during the day.. have a run but I put my babies in a round dog pen during day and back in coop at night. I do this for about 2 weeks gets the old chickens used to them and gets them used to being outside on a smaller scale . You could also make a your own small pen with chicken wire and green pole spikes for the babies

Thats a great idea, thank you! How do you do it when you are ready to let them out of the enclosed area/coop to free range? My current flock wander in and out of the coop all day. Thanks!

 

[SurferchickinSB]

I have a flock of 13 who are 6 years old and have NEVER met new chickens. I now have 3 polish chicks that I want to move to the coop, but I really don't know how. My dilemma is I only have one coop and the big girls need to come in and lay and I don't have a run where I can let the babies into. They are in a dog crate now in the house. I'm going to move the whole cage to the coop and keep it shut for at least a week, but then do I just open the door and hope for the best and if the babies leave the coop hope that they come back?? anybody have any experience with "coop training" without a run and only one coop?

Thank you...really appreciate any guidance/advice!!

You need to do a slow introduction otherwise the young ones will most likely be killed or attacked.

 

[Jenn1018]

You need to do a slow introduction otherwise the young ones will most likely be killed or attacked.

UGH...that would be devastating! Wish I could just keep them in the dog crate, but they are getting much too big!

 

[MROO]

Thats a great idea, thank you! How do you do it when you are ready to let them out of the enclosed area/coop to free range? My current flock wander in and out of the coop all day. Thanks!

I don't free range because we have waaaaaaay too many predators ... and my chickens are little, even for bantams. I'd definitely wait until your youngsters are close to full size and fully accepted by the older hens before letting them roam. They are less likely to get picked off by wild (or feral) hunters if they're fully integrated into the flock, first. By then, they should know the big girls' warning signals and be "allowed" to follow their lead. Look around for safe places in your free range area before you let the youngsters loose. Lots (and LOTS) of cover is a must, so you may have to add some new obstacles - bushes, small trees, a table, a cluster of flower pots or the like. The older hens already know the drill and the good hidey-holes ... but there may not be enough room in them for the chicks, especially if the mamas aren't willing to share!

 

[SurferchickinSB]

UGH...that would be devastating! Wish I could just keep them in the dog crate, but they are getting much too big!

How big is your coop? Is it big enough where you could place some wire up and they could stay in an area inside the coop? That way the other ones would get used to them, it might take two or three weeks, but it would be devastating if something happened.