Different people do this different ways. A lot of it depends on how predator proof you consider that coop/run. I’m going to call that that elevated enclosed section the coop and the part enclosed in wire the run just so we are clear on terminology. In some circumstances I’d do it differently.
It sounds like you plan to let them in the run during the day but may lock them up in the coop section at night. I regularly move chicks a lot younger than yours (usually 5 weeks) into my “grow-out” coop, which is elevated and has an attached run. I used to lock them in my grow-out coop section for a week or more before letting them into the run section. I don’t do that anymore. I have other coops with the entry at the ground level. I’ve noticed with mine if I use a ground level coop it pays to lock them in the coop for a week. With my elevated coop it really doesn’t. With my elevated coop they all pile up under the entryway the first night no matter how long I leave them locked in the coop section.
My brooder-raised chicks tend to start roosting for the night at 10 to 12 weeks. I’ve had some that start sleeping on the roosts at 5 to 6 weeks, some that take longer than 10 to 12, but 10 to 12 is an average and pretty normal, as much as anything can be said to be normal with chicks. At 2-1/2 months yours could be ready to roost, which could make a difference.
Until mine start to roost, they tend to sleep in a group in a low spot. With my elevated coop, that low spot is in the run and practically always under the entry to the coop. The way I do mine is to go down after it’s dark enough for them to have gone to sleep and physically move them to the coop and lock them in there. If it is dark enough they are pretty easy to catch and put in the coop. If you have a fair amount of light down there it can be a bit more challenging to catch them. Sometimes they get the message after only one time and start putting themselves to bed in the coop on the coop floor but that’s unusual. Sometimes it takes three weeks of consistently putting them in every night before they all do, but again that’s rare. What normally happens is that a few start putting themselves to bed in the coop section after a couple of nights with all of them doing that after a week or so.
My broods are usually in the range of 15 to 25, not 5 like yours, and mine start at five weeks not 2-1/2 months. I think both of those might make a difference, especially if yours are ready to roost.
In my opinion you have two different options. Leave them locked in the coop section only for a day, two days, or even a week with food and water in there. They may get the message, especially if they are ready to roost. It may help them get the message faster if you do have to put them in the coop after dark. Or you can just turn them loose in the coop/run section to start with and put them to bed until they catch on. I’ve done both, both methods work.
Due to circumstances of life, I’m a little late moving mine. I have 22 six-week-olds in my brooder right now that I plan to go through tomorrow. I’ll put the cockerels in my grow-out coop, straight into the run section and commit to moving them inside the coop at night until they catch on. I’ll leave the pullets in my brooder a few more days just to let things settle and then let them out to mingle with my adult flock. This system works for me and keeps my stress levels low. You should decide which way is more likely to keep your stress levels low and go for it. At the end of the day it really won’t matter to the chickens. You are the one that will worry about it, they won’t.
Good luck!
It sounds like you plan to let them in the run during the day but may lock them up in the coop section at night. I regularly move chicks a lot younger than yours (usually 5 weeks) into my “grow-out” coop, which is elevated and has an attached run. I used to lock them in my grow-out coop section for a week or more before letting them into the run section. I don’t do that anymore. I have other coops with the entry at the ground level. I’ve noticed with mine if I use a ground level coop it pays to lock them in the coop for a week. With my elevated coop it really doesn’t. With my elevated coop they all pile up under the entryway the first night no matter how long I leave them locked in the coop section.
My brooder-raised chicks tend to start roosting for the night at 10 to 12 weeks. I’ve had some that start sleeping on the roosts at 5 to 6 weeks, some that take longer than 10 to 12, but 10 to 12 is an average and pretty normal, as much as anything can be said to be normal with chicks. At 2-1/2 months yours could be ready to roost, which could make a difference.
Until mine start to roost, they tend to sleep in a group in a low spot. With my elevated coop, that low spot is in the run and practically always under the entry to the coop. The way I do mine is to go down after it’s dark enough for them to have gone to sleep and physically move them to the coop and lock them in there. If it is dark enough they are pretty easy to catch and put in the coop. If you have a fair amount of light down there it can be a bit more challenging to catch them. Sometimes they get the message after only one time and start putting themselves to bed in the coop on the coop floor but that’s unusual. Sometimes it takes three weeks of consistently putting them in every night before they all do, but again that’s rare. What normally happens is that a few start putting themselves to bed in the coop section after a couple of nights with all of them doing that after a week or so.
My broods are usually in the range of 15 to 25, not 5 like yours, and mine start at five weeks not 2-1/2 months. I think both of those might make a difference, especially if yours are ready to roost.
In my opinion you have two different options. Leave them locked in the coop section only for a day, two days, or even a week with food and water in there. They may get the message, especially if they are ready to roost. It may help them get the message faster if you do have to put them in the coop after dark. Or you can just turn them loose in the coop/run section to start with and put them to bed until they catch on. I’ve done both, both methods work.
Due to circumstances of life, I’m a little late moving mine. I have 22 six-week-olds in my brooder right now that I plan to go through tomorrow. I’ll put the cockerels in my grow-out coop, straight into the run section and commit to moving them inside the coop at night until they catch on. I’ll leave the pullets in my brooder a few more days just to let things settle and then let them out to mingle with my adult flock. This system works for me and keeps my stress levels low. You should decide which way is more likely to keep your stress levels low and go for it. At the end of the day it really won’t matter to the chickens. You are the one that will worry about it, they won’t.
Good luck!
