Should I force division of flock to roost?

[Perris]

Thank you Mrs K! As it happens, that's what I did, though by shutting the door before the NGs, who are always last in and out, went through, and I put them in the other coop, now positioned next to the original. It will soon be dawn here and I will report back tonight...

I assume birds only roost in such and if they have a choice, they are likely to choose elsewhere.

This thread is about the fact that they HAVE a choice, and they are CHOOSING not to use additional space but to all use the same coop.

 

[centrarchid]

Thank you Mrs K! As it happens, that's what I did, though by shutting the door before the NGs, who are always last in and out, went through, and I put them in the other coop, now positioned next to the original. It will soon be dawn here and I will report back tonight...
This thread is about the fact that they HAVE a choice, and they are CHOOSING not to use additional space but to all use the same coop.

I do what you want to do a lot, routinely like clockwork to mitigate stress and spread load of birds over a larger area. You will find you own way where stress will be primary motivator for your flock. My effective method was my first post in this thread.

 

[aart]

This thread is about the fact that they HAVE a choice, and they are CHOOSING not to use additional space but to all use the same coop.

That's pretty normal. You'd have to pen them separately 24/7 for quite awhile to 'home' one group to the other coop...even then they may try to go back to one flock.

 

[Perris]

So on release this morning they came out simultaneously and all behaved as if nothing unusual had happened. That's a good start at least. I expect to have to interfere at dusk for some time; I'll resort to penning if and when my patience runs out. Thanks again for the advice all.

 

[Perris]

Experiment #1 was a failure. The NGs were 3rd and 4th into the coop yesterday dusk, presumably not wanting to be shut out again as the laggards to roost. The chicks were last, and it seemed a bad idea to separate them from mum, who'd been first in. So all 9 together again...

 

[Perris]

Tonight, entirely of their own volition, the SFHs, the RIR, and the other LA went to roost in the new coop, while the broody and her chicks and the NGs have gone in the old coop - result!

 

[Perris]

For the record, tonight the SFHs, the RIR, and the broody and her chicks went to roost in the old coop, whereupon I shut the door, and the NGs and the other LA went to the new, without too much ado .

 

[Mrs. K]

I wondered if this would happen, and may be ongoing. The birds may not roost in the same coop each night, just depending on their whim. As long as they are comfortable in both coops.

I think you said that you have both coops close together. I think that must help.

 

[Perris]

yes indeed, that was the catalyst. Before, I had the new coop about 25 ft away from the old, and although they'd looked in and played with the bedding, there was no sign anyone was going to roost in it over the course of a fortnight (during which the chicks were growing rapidly!). So I started this thread. As a result of advice offered here, I moved it close to the old (about 3' separation to facilitate daily poop picking and egg collection, and the size and shape of the shrubs round there), and they've started using it since then. So thanks again all for the advice

 

[Perris]

update: today the other LA laid in one of the new coop's nesting boxes - I think they really are beginning to recognize it as part (albeit separate) of 'home'