Ok Stumped need Idea's? HELP

[GhostRider65]

My babies are now 16 weeks there pen has been opened between the littles and the big girls, they scratch around together all day long, but at roosting time they go back to there pen and the big girls and there 2 roosters go to the coop. I was afraid they would fight, but so far just a squabble or 2, nothing major. Why do they not follow the big girls into the coop? could it be the ramp, the roosters, or they just feel safe in there pen?
Before winter I have to get them integrated into the coop with the big chickens!!!!! Its way to cold here for them to remain outside in the pen with only a dog house for protection, the coop is built in my insulated garage, plenty of protection from the -40 or -50 below we typically get here.
Any suggestions on getting them together. There's 6 pullets and a little BR roo, I wanted to try to keep for breeding, but have sense thought maybe when the rest of my 16 week old roo's get butchered he is going too, he's too rough with the girls, and my other roo seems not to be very accepting of him. Tho no big fights, just some chasing. I also wondered if the pullets stay outside in the pen because of the roo? is that feasible? that they would feel safer with a mean roo than a newer roo who hasn't yet done much except court them? no rapes like by the Br roo, who is at them every 5 minutes. argg
Heres a pic of the set up the babies have been in the dog kennel since the out grew the brooder.

Inside the garge is this coop, 12 x 10, 10 feet high with 30 feet of roost space for the big chickens there's 12.........

 

[elmo]

Chickens are creatures of habit. I think your younger ones are just used to doing what they've always done and it won't occur to them to change their habits.

As long as the big coop has plenty of roost space (at least 12" per chicken), you could go ahead and lift them onto the roosts inside yourself. It probably will take a couple of nights before they catch on to this new habit.

 

[JustAChickenLittle&More]

That must have been the dogs cage. Can you see the look of "eviction" on his face?

 

[GhostRider65]

Actually he is my newest rescue, my sons dog, that he saved from a guy who was regularly beating him to the point of unconsciousness. That I have taken care of since Ohhhh May, I bought the kennel just for my grow out pen, because this spring was so darn cold here til June so with no spring weather and the babies were huge by 4 weeks and no longer fit in the brooder, they were still in my basement, so I had to come up with something to contain them and give them much needed space............. so it was off to TSC to buy a 300 dollar kennel, for chickens.................. arggg
Which we promptly set up in my basement until June when it finally warmed up enough fore them to go outside, then it was dismantle and reset the kennel for them, and build the coop.
Leo's dejected face is because he couldn't join the chickens in the pen.............LOL he is so silly he thinks there his chickens and he should be able to be in the pen with them
Nicest dog I have ever had here, sweet loving couch potato. why on earth anyone would be mean to him is beyond my imagination, he is a purebred American Bulldog and was originally sold to the abuser for 1600 dollars............from a good breeding family in Southern Wisconsin.. would like his papers but the jerk will not give them over to my son.
He actually had to threaten to call the ASPCA and police to get the dog out of there. So oh well I don't show anyway so whatever, but he is a great dog and after all he has been through still just a big lovable oaf.

 

[SteveBaz]

I took my girls a week of doing it with them. By example , when its time to go get a 6' stick and herd them where you want. You are the head Rooster so use your authority to get them to go where you want. Thats what the pecking order if for. They will work it out if they have been socialized together.

 

[wyoDreamer]

Do they use the doghouse during the day at all?
If you took out the doghouse and shooed them into the coop , after a couple of days they should get the idea.
Maybe even move the doghouse into the coop for a short time to get them to go into the coop and go to bed.

Editted to add:
Nice coop and run. I like your set-up, and growing up in Crivitz, I understand about the winter weather.

Congrats on the dog rescue, It is nice to hear of people who care enough to tackle adversity to do the right thing.

to your son for being a caring human being, you must be proud!

 

[wyoDreamer]

Sorry, I didn't mean to be a thread killer.

Good luck getting the young ones to use the Coop with the big girls.

 

[Farm_Maven]

Coop envy! Boy I sure wish I could get my hubby to let me have our garage! lol

 

[GhostRider65]

Quote:
Thank you....... I am though my son is sometimes a big pain in my butt...........LOL He is a kind caring man just learning the ropes of life, he was 26 this Aug. and is married with a cute little boy who is 3, They are saving for a house, that's why I have Leo, there not permitted a dog in there apartment. I'm glad he likes the dog alot, and he will be good to him. He isn't much on my critters, he says they cost too much hehehe just wait till he gets his first vet bill, he won't think dogs are so cheap to keep. That day is coming very soon, cuz boosters and a check up will be needed spring.
Yah crivitz is cold as it is all over here in WI. we even had to re-enforce the kennel roof with extra poles and weave in rope supports to hold the snow load, its also double tarped now as well. If we get big snows again this year I wanted to make sure it stayed up and didn't collapse.

 

[GhostRider65]

Quote:
Lots of begging and baking will do wonders hehehehehe



Ok will try moving the doggy house into the coop, or herding them in, they do use the dog house, and roosts in the pen, but they seem ok with the coop and I have seen a couple of them checking it out, but they don't stay in there long.
I'm very worried about them though because I lock the coop pop door each night, and if they get chased around there's nowhere for them to run, makes me more upset that Gray Beard the 30 week old EE roo beat the crap out of my little 16 week BR rooster today had to bring him in and doctor him up , he has a torn wattle and a hunk outa the back of his comb, he was bloody all over it bled like crazy, even his girls were picking at his booboo's. Mostly I think the hens will be ok, but the little rooster is another story. I wish they got along as well as Fred The White Wyandotte rooster and Gray Beard, Fred is a chickens chicken.....Lol they have never fought at all Fred just runs and hides when Graybeard is cranky. He's even afraid of Taz the little BR. Not sure what I'm gonna do about the rooster problem. Chickens require alot of thought don't they hehehe.