New girls in the house

[Chicaboom23]

We have had 5 chickens for over a year but recently lost two- one to a hawk and the other had heart problems. The man we got them from gave us 3 more and we have quarantined them and now have moved their small coop into the chicken yard and they are all getting along fairly well but we don’t know how to get the new chickens to roost in the big coop. They want to go up in the small coop

 

[azygous]

Close up the small coop and put the chickens into the other coop when night comes. If you wait until it's dark to put them in, they will stay. It shouldn't take more than two or three nights and they will be going in on their own.

 

[Chicaboom23]

Close up the small coop and put the chickens into the other coop when night comes. If you wait until it's dark to put them in, they will stay. It shouldn't take more than two or three nights and they will be going in on their own.

That’s what my husband tried last night but we didn’t make them wait until dark. They kept circling the small coop and we opened it back up. Thank you and we will try tonight

 

[wrathsfarm]

That’s what my husband tried last night but we didn’t make them wait until dark. They kept circling the small coop and we opened it back up. Thank you and we will try tonight

You have 6 now? While they are circling their coop, scoop them up and put them in new coop. A little scratch in there might distract them from trying to flee.

May have to do this for a few nights or they may associate the scratch at that same time every night and acclimate to the new coop that way.

 

[Chicaboom23]

You have 6 now? While they are circling their coop, scoop them up and put them in new coop. A little scratch in there might distract them from trying to flee.

May have to do this for a few nights or they may associate the scratch at that same time every night and acclimate to the new coop that way.

yes we have 6 total now. They all love fly larvae so that’s what we threw in the big coop last night but I guess we didn’t give it enough time. These chickens are wild so my poor husband would have a heart attack trying to catch them. The man who had them only fed them and they were never touched but I am baby talking them and spoiling them now

 

[Ridgerunner]

How old are the new chickens? Are they mature enough to lay or still immature? Until they start to lay my pullets avoid the older hens as they are likely to get pecked if they get too close. My older ones leave them alone as long as they don't invade their personal space. That avoidance is during the day and also at night as they get ready to sleep. Once the pullets are laying the older accept them into the pecking order. If your new ones are already laying then they may or may not have a pecking order fight or two but should soon fit in.

Chickens are creatures of habit. If they are used to roosting in a certain place that is where they are trained to sleep. Sometimes when you integrate them they will move on their own, sometimes you need to help them. I wait until they have proven to me that they can share a space during the day without violence before I try to put them in the coop at night with the established flock. After it is too dark for them to see I put them in on the coop floor and lock the door. Then I'm down there at first light when they wake up to see how they are getting along. If things are quiet I'm soon comfortable sleeping in. If not, I open the pop door and let them out every morning until I am comfortable they won't hurt each other.

To catch them I wait until it is dark and they have put themselves to bed. It is usually pretty easy to pick them up with minimal chasing. This assumes it gets dark down there. If you have security lights or street lights this might not work really well. A fishing net may come in handy.

Good luck! Many of us go through this every year, you can manage it.

 

[wrathsfarm]

yes we have 6 total now. They all love fly larvae so that’s what we threw in the big coop last night but I guess we didn’t give it enough time. These chickens are wild so my poor husband would have a heart attack trying to catch them. The man who had them only fed them and they were never touched but I am baby talking them and spoiling them now

Yeah, that makes it more difficult. Does the new coop have a run you could coax them into? At this point, if you could get them into the new run or coop all at once no matter what time it is. Lock them in, and keep them locked in for a couple few days to 'home' them to new coop.

 

[Chicaboom23]

How old are the new chickens? Are they mature enough to lay or still immature? Until they start to lay my pullets avoid the older hens as they are likely to get pecked if they get too close. My older ones leave them alone as long as they don't invade their personal space. That avoidance is during the day and also at night as they get ready to sleep. Once the pullets are laying the older accept them into the pecking order. If your new ones are already laying then they may or may not have a pecking order fight or two but should soon fit in.

Chickens are creatures of habit. If they are used to roosting in a certain place that is where they are trained to sleep. Sometimes when you integrate them they will move on their own, sometimes you need to help them. I wait until they have proven to me that they can share a space during the day without violence before I try to put them in the coop at night with the established flock. After it is too dark for them to see I put them in on the coop floor and lock the door. Then I'm down there at first light when they wake up to see how they are getting along. If things are quiet I'm soon comfortable sleeping in. If not, I open the pop door and let them out every morning until I am comfortable they won't hurt each other.

To catch them I wait until it is dark and they have put themselves to bed. It is usually pretty easy to pick them up with minimal chasing. This assumes it gets dark down there. If you have security lights or street lights this might not work really well. A fishing net may come in handy.

Good luck! Many of us go through this every year, you can manage it.

They are all the same age (probably 3 years old or older. These were all together at one point and they are good layers. I do want some pullets because all these girls are slowing down but are still reliable layers

 

[Chicaboom23]

They are all the same age (probably 3 years old or older. These were all together at one point and they are good layers. I do want some pullets because all these girls are slowing down but are still reliable layers

Thank you for the good advice too!

 

[azygous]

It's easy to train chickens to come to you when you give a signal. It's much easier and less stressful for your husband and the chickens than chasing them.

Use the fly larvae as they are already addicted to that. While tossing a few in front of the chickens, use an audible cue. I have a clicker I bought at PetSmart for a buck. Or you can use one special word or even a bell.

Toss a few larvae progressively closer to you, forcing the chickens to come close. When they trust being close to you while getting a larvae, reach out slowly and touch the chicken. Soon they will eat them from your hand.

When training chicks to go into the coop at night, I get inside, make the audible cue, hold out the larvae, and coax them inside. This is a natural and pleasant way for chickens to learn, and they do not forget.