new coop for my girls

[ksandvig]

Ok so I have had my girls since Sept 14' they have been in the same SMALL coop all that time, but I have added another hen to the group & 8 in their house was NOT going to work. And I have 8 chicks coming in May
Soooo we converted a 10x7 travel trailer into a coop!!
My question is, last night was their first night in it, I closed up the small coop but they didn't want to go in the new one, so we picked each one up & put in, there are 2 6' roosting bars in it, & 6 nesting boxes, welllllll of course they are sleeping in nesting boxes facing the back wall? I try to put them on the roost but they freak out & fly off??!! Do you suppose it is due to the fact they only had to jump 2" to get to their roosting bar before? there were 7 of them on a bar about 2' long
I will be putting in another roost today, lower to the floor, also putting curtains over the windows, we are thinking it isn't "dark" enough for them? I will post some pics in a bit from my phone
thanks in advance just want to make sure I am doing this the right way

 

[ksandvig]

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[ksandvig]

 

[aart]

Chickens don't like change, might take a few days for them to get used to the new coop.
Close the old one off....maybe even keep them locked up in this one for 1-2 days 24/7 to help speed the process.

Those roosts look like they might be a little hard to stand on......
........I'd add a 2 x 4 wide side up on top of what you've got there.

If they don't go the the new roosts by themselves, go in well after dark and move them onto the roosts.
Hold the bird firmly over it wings and put its feet on the roost, give them a second to stand steady then let go, they should stay.

 

[ksandvig]

Thanks we weren't sure what size to make the roost bars we used 2x2's. They had a rounded one before. I will try moving them. They did lay eggs in it today so thats a good thing!

 

[ksandvig]

Well today I took the roosting bars put & replaced w a bench they like to perch on in their run & a big branch that fell off on of our trees we will try this I think it'll be better they have already checked them out thanks for suggestions

 

[ksandvig]

This is the new roosting bars w the poop trays I made we jept finding all the girls up here bunched in the corner so we put a roost up I now have NO poop in nesting boxes yay

 

[ksandvig]

Outside of coop! My hubby just has to finish roof & put skirting around backside loving how it is turning out. Will post more pics when that is done!