Tips for introducing a new coop!

[ANiceKaren]

Hi friends! I’m looking for some tips on I for introducing my flock to a new coop! Currently my silly girls are sleeping on TOP of prefab coops in a very protected covered run. I bought a new handmade coop for them and tomorrow is the big day to transition! I’ll be removing both prefab coops from my run and putting in the new and improved coop. I’d like to start sleeping inside. Any tips on how to transition? Will they protest going in? Ha! Im not big on “locking them in for days” my girls free range all day so this would be their sleeping and egg laying spot. Appreciate any help! Here are some pics of them sleeping on top of coop and the new coop! They are much bigger now than in the pic. Also, the reason I don’t lock them in prefab coops because they are waaaay too small and no roosts. (Before I knew better)

 

[NatJ]

I bought a new handmade coop for them...I’d like to start sleeping inside. Any tips on how to transition? Will they protest going in? Ha! Im not big on “locking them in for days” my girls free range all day so this would be their sleeping and egg laying spot.

Locking them in for a few days really does work well.
If you don't want them locked in all day, you could try locking them in shortly before bedtime, but you might have trouble getting them to go in, especially at first (because it's new and scary, or because they want to keep playing outside.)

tomorrow is the big day to transition! I’ll be removing both prefab coops from my run and putting in the new and improved coop.

I would catch the chickens while they are asleep tonight, and put them in a dog crate or something similar for the day. That will keep them from running away in terror (new coop) or getting underfoot and injured (if they are not scared of what is happening.)

Then, once the new coop is in place, I would put in bedding/feed/water, and shut the chickens inside. I would not let the chickens out until the next day at the earliest, and probably the day after that. By that time they should be quite familiar with the inside of the new coop, so going in will not be scary. But keep them in their run for another day or two, so they cannot try sleeping in trees. You would still need to check every evening to put in any stragglers, until you see that they have developed the habit of going in by themselves.


I understand that you are looking for alternatives, but methods like this are commonly recommended because they DO work well for most people and most chickens. Most chickens are hard to catch in the daytime, panic about new things, and settle down fairly soon when they learn the new thing will not hurt them. What I suggested is meant to address all of those points, while also helping them form a new habit of sleeping inside.

Edit to add:
I just noticed you are in California. With a "very protected covered run," I do not see why the chickens would need to sleep inside at all. But if you want them to, then it's just a matter of providing a suitable place (which your new coop should do) and retraining them.

 

[ANiceKaren]

Locking them in for a few days really does work well.
If you don't want them locked in all day, you could try locking them in shortly before bedtime, but you might have trouble getting them to go in, especially at first (because it's new and scary, or because they want to keep playing outside.)


I would catch the chickens while they are asleep tonight, and put them in a dog crate or something similar for the day. That will keep them from running away in terror (new coop) or getting underfoot and injured (if they are not scared of what is happening.)

Then, once the new coop is in place, I would put in bedding/feed/water, and shut the chickens inside. I would not let the chickens out until the next day at the earliest, and probably the day after that. By that time they should be quite familiar with the inside of the new coop, so going in will not be scary. But keep them in their run for another day or two, so they cannot try sleeping in trees. You would still need to check every evening to put in any stragglers, until you see that they have developed the habit of going in by themselves.


I understand that you are looking for alternatives, but methods like this are commonly recommended because they DO work well for most people and most chickens. Most chickens are hard to catch in the daytime, panic about new things, and settle down fairly soon when they learn the new thing will not hurt them. What I suggested is meant to address all of those points, while also helping them form a new habit of sleeping inside.

Edit to add:
I just noticed you are in California. With a "very protected covered run," I do not see why the chickens would need to sleep inside at all. But if you want them to, then it's just a matter of providing a suitable place (which your new coop should do) and retraining them.

Thank you for the great advice! As far as location.. I am in California but high elevation where we get snow and pretty cold nights.. teens.

 

[NatJ]

I am in California but high elevation where we get snow and pretty cold nights.. teens.

That makes sense. I see "California" and make assumptions about climate, but I tend to forget that it is a big state and some of it does get real winters!

 

[rayrose]

I 'd lock them in for at least 4-5 days, with food and water inside.
This will imprint on them that this is their new home.

 

[SpicyDisaster]

Four out of sixteen of our girls preferred to sleep on top of the grow out/temporary coop as well. When we moved (and they got a new coop), we did the lock-in method for two days since they were to be free-range otherwise. They had plenty of room and took it rather well as the new area was a bit scary for them.

If you don't want to do lock-in then I suggest nightly treat-training for bedtime until they learn to go in the coop at night. We used meal worms and would call the girls over then throw the meal worms into the coop. All but a few would run into the coop so we'd close the door and play catch-the-chickens for the last few. We still use this method if we need to lock them up early since we will be gone late at night.

 

[mowin]

If they still insist on roosting on top of the new coop after the transition, I would fence it off with chicken wire until they learn to roost in the coop.

 

[ANiceKaren]

Four out of sixteen of our girls preferred to sleep on top of the grow out/temporary coop as well. When we moved (and they got a new coop), we did the lock-in method for two days since they were to be free-range otherwise. They had plenty of room and took it rather well as the new area was a bit scary for them.

If you don't want to do lock-in then I suggest nightly treat-training for bedtime until they learn to go in the coop at night. We used meal worms and would call the girls over then throw the meal worms into the coop. All but a few would run into the coop so we'd close the door and play catch-the-chickens for the last few. We still use this method if we need to lock them up early since we will be gone late at night.

Thanks! I really like the idea of treats at night and helping them inside until they get used to coop. I hate the idea of them being scared but I’m sure it’s very similar to when you first bring babies outside to their new coop!

 

[SpicyDisaster]

Thanks! I really like the idea of treats at night and helping them inside until they get used to coop. I hate the idea of them being scared but I’m sure it’s very similar to when you first bring babies outside to their new coop!

In part, I think the fear thing might be why the general advice is to keep them locked in. We moved ours across the state so they had a four-hour car drive. We let them into the coop at night and kept them inside for the next two days. They had less fear being inside the coop than they did when we opened it up and they discovered a vast new area (city backyard vs 40 aces).

But definitely the treats help with enouragement. They will eventually figure it out. What age are your chickies?

 

[ANiceKaren]

In part, I think the fear thing might be why the general advice is to keep them locked in. We moved ours across the state so they had a four-hour car drive. We let them into the coop at night and kept them inside for the next two days. They had less fear being inside the coop than they did when we opened it up and they discovered a vast new area (city backyard vs 40 aces).

But definitely the treats help with enouragement. They will eventually figure it out. What age are your chickies?

Thank you! My girls are younger..less than a year! About 8.5 months.