New chicken owner tomorrow! What do I do!?!?

[ODU Big Blue]

So my coop is finally done and I'm picking up three 1.5 year old hens tomorrow. What do I do the first day? Can I bring them home in a box? How long do they stay in the coop before I let them out for the first time? Any tips are appreciated.

 

[bobbi-j]

Do you have a run attached to your coop? If so, I would keep them in the coop/run for a week or so before free ranging (if that's your plan) so they are settled as to where "home" is. If there is no run attached, and your coop is big enough, I would still keep them in it for a few days to a week for the same reason. As far as bringing them home, a box or two would be fine - whatever you need to avoid crowding them too much. Bring them home, stick them in the coop and let them get adjusted. They may not lay for a few days, maybe up to a week or so. That's normal. They don't like change, and it doesn't take much to throw them off cycle.