New Coop for Chicks and Big Girls

[Chickaroo!]

I have a current coop that my big girls are in. It has a covered run attached. My DH just finished building the new coop (almost) and it's done enough for the little girls to sleep in. Here's my ??...do I keep the little girls shut in the coop for 1 wk. for them to learn where their home is? The new coop doesn't have the run attached yet so during the day, I have a section of the old run that I put the little girls in so the big girls get used to them. Is this gonna confuse the little girls? I eventually want all the chickens together in the new coop. Should I put the big girls in the new coop too, just to sleep?

Oh yeah, the little girls are not that little. They're actually about 10wks. old!

Sorry if this post seems scatterd brained!!!

 

[ChickenToes]

I don't think you have to keep them locked in the coop, they should catch on pretty quick. When my chicks were 5 weeks old, I put them out in the coop. At first they were freaked out and wouldn't leave the coop, but after a few hours they were running around like mad. The first few days we had to herd them inside at night, but then they got the idea.

 

[ginbart]

IMO I just put my 6 week olds out in the barn and I'm going to keep them inside for a week. First they seem so small and second I want them to know where to come back in at night.

 

[Daycare Mom]

I left mine in for a week before I let them out. I thought I had to so they know where home is.

 

[arlee453]

I'd leave them in a couple days to a week to make sure they know where to go in at night.