Moving Coops…

[RJSorensen]

Hello BYC'ers,

I am making enough progress on my new coop, that it is perhaps time to ask for suggestions in how to take birds that are in my grow out coop, to the new one which will be the hen house. I have had these birds for about 14 weeks now. They have been in this coop for 10 weeks. I free range most of the day, most every day. Currently they all put themselves to bed every night and I just go down to lock the door for the evening.

How, or what is the best way to 'home' them to the new building? There is perhaps only 100 feet between them, and the free range area will stay the same. I would love for them to do there (new coop) what they now do in the older coop. I've twenty hens and one rooster. Old coop is 12 x 20' new coop is 14 x 10' but has much better head space for me.

I have a few Bantums that will be needing the grow out coop in a month or so, time is counting down. If any of you kind folks have experience with a situation of this type, I would love to hear your insight, and or wisdom. I have never moved coops with older birds…

Thank you,

RJ

 

[centrarchid]

Easiest approach for me has been to move birds to new henhouse and keep them in it for 3 days solid. Late in fourth day release birds to forage for an hour or so but more importantly learn the access points to the henhouse house. Day five release flock in morning like you have done previously and all should return to henhouse later that evening. During this time close off the old location and make so not accessible until birds adopt new site. If you do like I do with a younger cohort moved into old coop, then that is the time it is cleaned and they are confined in a similar manner to the outgoing group.