Moving to new coop

[prairie]

Hi, I just wanted to share my experience of moving the 5 guineas, 6 chickens and 2 ducks to a new chicken house and run.

They had a small coop about 8 X 6 but a large run and we let them free range most of the time but then we started working on a small barn / shed to change it into a chicken house for them to give them more room. It is about 18 X 12 and we added a new run which is about 50 X 20 with lots of cedar trees in it towards the back.

I was worried about them accepting the new place so we transferred them by way of a large dog carrier and then kept them locked into the run and the new house for a week.

After a week I decided to see if they would return to the new house or try to get into the old run and coop. I have trained them to come when I call so maybe that helped but I was sure surprised that I had no trouble getting them to the new place after free ranging all day. I do give them a treat of a couple of handfuls of scratch grains when I call so that helped too.

So after just a week of being in lock up they come freely to the new place and never tried to get back to the old place. Thought this might help some others that are moving their flocks.

 

[PeepsCA]

Congrats on your success! The food call/food motivation aspect is definitely a valuable tool when it comes to dealing Guineas. It's not always that easy for everybody tho, usually Guineas (especially flocks of just Guineas) do not like or accept new changes at all, and won't cooperate like you're hoping they will, lol... I'm sure your Guineas also felt more secure following the other less skeptical poultry into their new coop since they consider them as part of their flock. Glad it worked out for you!

Post some pics of the new digs!

 

[prairie]

They have all really adjusted to the new coop and really love the new roosts which are really high. It is funny that the chickens usually get to the high roosts before the guineas and the guineas have to take the rafter beam. Here are some pics of what hubby and I came up with -- but I still have to scrape and paint the chicken house.This was a shed / barn that we used for sheep about 20 years ago and then was my garden shed and now a chicken house.





The Grandma's Garden sign has been on the arbor for years! I used to have a garden where the run is now.

 

[PeepsCA]

Great pics, what lucky birds!!! Nice big coop, huge yard/run, grass, trees!!! I don't think it gets any better than that!

Wish I had a few old sheds to renovate into coops, congrats again!
Love the sign too, lol. Thanks for sharing

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

How fun is that!! Love your new coop!

~ Aspen

 

[prairie]

You can't imagine how long it took us--- about 5 weeks and I still have to paint it! And over winter I was thinking it would take us just a few days! Wishful thinking!

 

[daylily]

Wow love the coop and the run! We currently have only a small coop and no run. My guys would go nuts to have something like that! So would I. Great pics!

 

[blessedchick]

What an awesome "new" home for your feathered friends! No wonder they took to it right away!

 

[prairie]

Thanks -- it was just an old shed / little barn but gives them a lot of room. Hubby had the idea to enclose a large area for a run and include the area around the cedar trees so they will have shade during the day. We free range them but at times must keep them locked in the run so it is perfect.