Tips for introducing 14 week old pullets to coop for the first time

[KarynVA]

I've posted previously about the delays and difficulties we've had with getting a coop built for our 3 Golden Comets, who are now 14 weeks old. They have been staying in the garage at night, and I carry them outside to a pen during the day and then carry them back inside in the afternoon or early evening each day. So they have never had a chance to learn from a mother hen about putting themselves to roost at dusk; they've had a very artificial daily schedule their entire lives (got them as 1 week old chicks from TS).

The coop is nearly ready now (it's modeled after this one that I learned about from this thread) and we'll be putting the chickens inside later this week.

Some questions I have:
1. I know with young chickens the advice is to put them inside the coop, where the roosts are, and have them stay there for 2-3 days so they learn that is "home". In our case, we are trying to not put food and water in the enclosed part of the coop, but rather to hang them underneath the coop in the covered part of the run. So I don't think they can be without food and water for 2-3 days. Should I let them into the run during the day, starting with day 1? Do you think they will go up the ramp and inside at dusk on day 1 if I do that? Or ....?

2. The entire coop and run will, at least initially, be on a larger concrete pad (with deep bedding in the run). Would it be safe to leave the pop door open so they can come and go at will, including early in the morning before I am up to open the door for them? (We don't, yet, have an automatic door mechanism but may do that in the future). With the wheels lying flat to the side, the bottom of the run is flush with the concrete.

3. As they are 14 weeks old and not showing signs, yet, of laying readiness, should I block access to the nest boxes until 19 weeks or thereabouts?

Any tips suggestions, responses to my questions above will be greatly appreciated!

 

[DobieLover]

I've posted previously about the delays and difficulties we've had with getting a coop built for our 3 Golden Comets, who are now 14 weeks old. They have been staying in the garage at night, and I carry them outside to a pen during the day and then carry them back inside in the afternoon or early evening each day. So they have never had a chance to learn from a mother hen about putting themselves to roost at dusk; they've had a very artificial daily schedule their entire lives (got them as 1 week old chicks from TS).

The coop is nearly ready now (it's modeled after this one that I learned about from this thread) and we'll be putting the chickens inside later this week.
View attachment 2306633

Some questions I have:
1. I know with young chickens the advice is to put them inside the coop, where the roosts are, and have them stay there for 2-3 days so they learn that is "home". In our case, we are trying to not put food and water in the enclosed part of the coop, but rather to hang them underneath the coop in the covered part of the run. So I don't think they can be without food and water for 2-3 days. Should I let them into the run during the day, starting with day 1? Do you think they will go up the ramp and inside at dusk on day 1 if I do that? Or ....?

2. The entire coop and run will, at least initially, be on a larger concrete pad (with deep bedding in the run). Would it be safe to leave the pop door open so they can come and go at will, including early in the morning before I am up to open the door for them? (We don't, yet, have an automatic door mechanism but may do that in the future). With the wheels lying flat to the side, the bottom of the run is flush with the concrete.

3. As they are 14 weeks old and not showing signs, yet, of laying readiness, should I block access to the nest boxes until 19 weeks or thereabouts?

Any tips suggestions, responses to my questions above will be greatly appreciated!

Do you have a predator apron that you can drop down around the perimeter of that run? I think you intend to free-range your birds for the majority of the day? That run is very small for 3 chickens.
Your pullets also have no experience using the ramp. Does the sloped part of that run lift up so you can get in there and help teach them how to navigate the ramp? How will you clean that run out? All these things need to be taken into consideration with that design. As long as the run is completely predator proof (read predator apron), I would not hesitate to leave the pop door open and allow them to come and go from the entire set up at will.
When you read about people locking their birds into the coop for 2 to 3 days those people do not generally have an attached run. You are homing them to that set up so leaving a pop door open would be just fine during that time frame as long as they have learned to navigate the ramp and get back up into the coop.
I would block off the nest boxes until they get closer to being ready to lay.

 

[KarynVA]

Thank you, Tonya, very helpful! The run is 32 square feet, which is actually more than our Town requires for a permit (8 sq. ft. per chicken is required). We do not have a predator apron because I don't see how a raccoon or fox could get under it if it is flush with the concrete ...? Hardware cloth everywhere else.

I didn't think about needing to teach the chickens how to use the ramp. Not sure what to do about that.

Thanks for your feedback about homing them to coop (AND run - yay!) and blocking the nest boxes.

 

[DobieLover]

Thank you, Tonya, very helpful! The run is 32 square feet, which is actually more than our Town requires for a permit (8 sq. ft. per chicken is required). We do not have a predator apron because I don't see how a raccoon or fox could get under it if it is flush with the concrete ...? Hardware cloth everywhere else.

I didn't think about needing to teach the chickens how to use the ramp. Not sure what to do about that.

Thanks for your feedback about homing them to coop (AND run - yay!) and blocking the nest boxes.

How heavy is the structure?
Are there any gaps between the framing and the concrete pad? Weasels can fit through small gaps.
How are you going to access inside that run to clean and retrieve errant eggs or even a sick bird?
You may want to install some kind of a lid on the pitched part that you can prop open with a prop stick so you can get in there when you need to.
I designed a roof section that can be lifted and propped open on my brooder run and dust bath extension of my run. If you click on be My Coop link under my name you can access the article that shows pictures.

 

[KarynVA]

Right; gaps under the structure would be bad/ not predator proof, for sure.

We made a door on the run so I can get in there.

P.S. Tonya, your coop is absolutely beautiful!

 

[rosemarythyme]

1. Locking them in the coop is optional - I did it for ez-mode homing the chickens to the coop, but it's not required. I certainly would not lock them in if the temperatures are hot and humid. You will need to herd them into the coop instead if you're not locking them in., and you'll probably need to train them to the ramp.

2. If you feel confident that the unit will be predator safe, you can leave the pop door open if you wish.

3. I would block off nests for now only because they're new to the coop and you want them roosting properly. Otherwise I would leave them uncovered for 14 week olds so they have ample time to explore the boxes, but that will need to wait until later.

 

[aart]

Any tips suggestions, responses to my questions above will be greatly appreciated!

Would be good to see your actual coop in it's setting....
....that pic is from the article you based your build on.

 

[KarynVA]

Would be good to see your actual coop in it's setting....
....that pic is from the article you based your build on.

Right. That's because my coop isn't quite finished yet and is still in the workshop. We haven't moved it outside yet. All the elements are identical to the one above, though, except we added a door down below for access to the under-side of the elevated coop area and run.

And, because it is a tractor style, the setting will change. Sometimes it will be on a concrete patio (with deep litter in the run); other times it will be on grass, like in the photo.

 

[KarynVA]

How do I train 14 week old chickens to use the ramp? I guess just put scratch on the ramp to lead them to continue stepping upwards?

 

[DobieLover]

How do I train 14 week old chickens to use the ramp? I guess just put scratch on the ramp to lead them to continue stepping upwards?

I used a mealworm trail. But one chick will gobble them up and the others will need a lesson if they weren't watching the first one. Hence the need for you to be able to get in the run to work in there.
Where is the access door to get under the coop? Will you be able to clean out the run or reach it's furthest recesses?
I can tell you from experience, crawling on your hands and knees in a chicken run is not a pleasant thing.