Putting chickens to bed at night

[Cprice1967]

I have 6 , 2 yr old large hens and 5 17 week old polish n silkie babies. All are in the same run during the day. Going well, still groups stay pretty much seporate with a few feather rustling during the day but mostly peaceful. Question...
The babies go to their very small coop just before dusk and about 30 min later the big girls go to their big coop. Both coops are enclosed in the same large run, so the coop doors are never closed. I would like all in the same coop for winter. Should I force this? If so, how, close the baby coop door? The littles do wander into the big girls coop during the day and vice versa. Actually the big girls have started laying their eggs in the littles coop during the day .
Pic is my tiny sicilian buttercup that lives with the 2 polish n 2 silkies babies. She is about 20 weeks old

 

[rosemarythyme]

If the babies were raised in the second coop that's their coop. As long as they can access it then they'll use it. Do you need them to all be in one coop? You can probably try locking them out of it at dusk, but don't be surprised if you have to manually move them into the first coop for several days as they're not used to being in there.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I have 6 , 2 yr old large hens and 5 17 week old polish n silkie babies. All are in the same run during the day. Going well, still groups stay pretty much seporate with a few feather rustling during the day but mostly peaceful. Question...
The babies go to their very small coop just before dusk and about 30 min later the big girls go to their big coop. Both coops are enclosed in the same large run, so the coop doors are never closed. I would like all in the same coop for winter. Should I force this? If so, how, close the baby coop door? The littles do wander into the big girls coop during the day and vice versa. Actually the big girls have started laying their eggs in the littles coop during the day .
Pic is my tiny sicilian buttercup that lives with the 2 polish n 2 silkies babies. She is about 20 weeks old

Is there plenty of space and ventilation in the "big coop" for all of them?
If so, then yes...close the small coop. You will probably have to gather the youngsters each night and put them in the big coop for a little while until they learn that is where they should stay.

 

[Perris]

that photo is sooooo cute! I've faced a similar situation a couple of times after quarantining new birds in the shed and then wanting them to join the rest in one or another coop. Sometimes they go in their own time; other times I've had to shut them out in order to encourage them to move.

 

[Cprice1967]

If the babies were raised in the second coop that's their coop. As long as they can access it then they'll use it. Do you need them to all be in one coop? You can probably try locking them out of it at dusk, but don't be surprised if you have to manually move them into the first coop for several days as they're not used to being in there.

The big coop is just bigger and sturdier. I just thought if they all were together easier cleanup too . But I don't want the babies picked on. I think I will just wait a bit then close them off, see how it goes. And yes they were raised in it. There is a problem with them sleeping in the little coop n the big girls laying in it cuz there is no nesting box. So the eggs get dirty. The plush large coop has 5 nesting boxes ! Chickens dont listen to reason ...ha ha

 

[aart]

The big coop is just bigger and sturdier.

But is it big enough for 11 birds?
Separate roost for the youngers will help.
They have had access to the larger coop all along..have they investigated it at all?

 

[Cprice1967]

But is it big enough for 11 birds?
Separate roost for the youngers will help.
They have had access to the larger coop all along..have they investigated it at all?

Yes it's big enough for 15 large birds. They have had access for about 3 weeks. They have investigated it during the day. It has 2 roosts. 1 lower than the other. The 6 big girls use about 1/3 of the top roost all close together at night. The lower roost is about 18 inches off the ground...ok for the silkies , they roost on one similar now. Except 1 she sleeps on the floor most of the time.