New Coop and New flock

[lucydne]

New chicken mama! We bought our original coop (on the ground coop, no ramp) from TSC with six hens and they went right in on the nesting bars and they have been doing great, but decided the run wasnt going to be big enough, so went back to TSC and bout a chicken coop with a bigger run, bought 6 hens but the coop has a ramp that you walk up to and was wondering how do we get them to go into into it. We have separeted the two groups for a couple to three weeks, so they will get used to everything. This was the second night that they slept underneath the coop. Do we physically show them the coop and put them in there or will they eventually get the idea. The breeder we bought them from did not have a coop just a metal barn with sand in it. Just wanted peoples opinion.

 

[lucydne]

We attached the two runs together. So they would have a lot of room to run. We originally wanted to free range but we have to work with our two dogs to be more chicken friendly.

 

[Iluveggers]

New chicken mama! We bought our original coop (on the ground coop, no ramp) from TSC with six hens and they went right in on the nesting bars and they have been doing great, but decided the run wasnt going to be big enough, so went back to TSC and bout a chicken coop with a bigger run, bought 6 hens but the coop has a ramp that you walk up to and was wondering how do we get them to go into into it. We have separeted the two groups for a couple to three weeks, so they will get used to everything. This was the second night that they slept underneath the coop. Do we physically show them the coop and put them in there or will they eventually get the idea. The breeder we bought them from did not have a coop just a metal barn with sand in it. Just wanted peoples opinion.

Can we see some pics or get some dimensions? A lot of the runs at TSC are much smaller than what chickens need. We have a large run, and wanted more room for our girls, so we added a fenced uncovered area off the run that we open in the morning, using 6ft welded wire and posts. Took only a day to fence it, and added another 500 sq ft for them to range. It is definitely strong enough to keep my dogs out.

As far as a ramp goes, I would keep the chicks in the coop for a few days, (are they chicks from TSC or did you buy hens from someone)? If the chicks know where their “home” is, it is much easier to train them to want to go there at night. If they are full-sized hens they should know how to maneuver a ramp, but locking them in a small coop is not the best with no space.

 

[Iluveggers]

And congratulations on your new flock!

 

[lucydne]

Can we see some pics or get some dimensions? A lot of the runs at TSC are much smaller than what chickens need. We have a large run, and wanted more room for our girls, so we added a fenced uncovered area off the run that we open in the morning, using 6ft welded wire and posts. Took only a day to fence it, and added another 500 sq ft for them to range. It is definitely strong enough to keep my dogs out.

As far as a ramp goes, I would keep the chicks in the coop for a few days, (are they chicks from TSC or did you buy hens from someone)? If the chicks know where their “home” is, it is much easier to train them to want to go there at night. If they are full-sized hens they should know how to maneuver a ramp, but locking them in a small coop is not the best with no space.

They are pullets, born in the end of March.

 

[lucydne]

New run and coop.

 

[lucydne]

1st coop and run, way too small.

 

[Iluveggers]

View attachment 3572501

1st coop and run, way too small.

Yeah the second one is much better. I would physically put them in the top part at dark. Leave them in for a bit in the morning, when it is light, then let them into the bigger part. You might have to do that for the first few days. Once they know it as home, they will put themselves to bed.

 

[lucydne]

Yeah the second one is much better. I would physically put them in the top part at dark. Leave them in for a bit in the morning, when it is light, then let them into the bigger part. You might have to do that for the first few days. Once they know it as home, they will put themselves to bed.

Thank you so much.