We bartered and received 4 australopes

[lilofthestars]

We bartered and received 4 three year olds australopes. For now we just bought a small coop but it’s in another protective enclosure so we have two small coops in that protected enclosure. They do not want to go inside the coop. They are sleeping on the roof. They’re very wild because the lady never inter contractive with them since they were born they lived in a large area but they could not free range and they hardly got any sun now they’re able to free range. The coop is there for them to sleep and to be protected. I will include some pictures. My question is how in the world do I get them to sleep in the coupe and it’s been five days now and we haven’t seen any eggs at all I know sometimes it takes a few days for them to start laying These checks are so skittish and so scared. I feel bad for them. I have Novagen Browns and they’re scared of them and they’re small. They’re very sweet but for some reason they’re going after them so the four they’re staying as a flock and My Other three with the rooster is staying and another separate flock. Anyone have any ideas? I was very upset when she was catching the chickens she grabbed him by the legs and kept him upside down and broke my heart because they were screaming bloody murder. I just never done that and all my chickens were sweet. These poor things they’re gonna have to get used to everybody I guess I will show some pictures. My husband’s in the meantime he’s trying to build a large coupe, but he’s been very sick so it’s been taking a while.

 

[OneLostHen]

Pretty lorps!
At 3 years of age, the amount of eggs they'll lay is likely to be greatly reduced. Add that to the fall season and its shorter days and eggs are reduced even further.

I see why they are wanting to roost on the coop instead of go inside it, it's quite low. If you really want them in, wait till its dark and place them in it by hand. Maybe they'll get the picture eventually.

 

[rosemarythyme]

As the coop is too small to lock them in to home them to it, and they're skittish, best to wait until it's nearly dark and then manually move them from the top of the coop to inside until they figure it out.

 

[Not-so Slick Chicken]

The coop appears to be too small for those birds. They can barely fit on the roof, so inside would be too small. It's unlikely they'll be able to comfortably use that coop for a few reasons.

Is your original flock bullying the new birds? It was written confusingly, but that's how I'm interpreting it.
Your original birds "own" your property, and the new birds are "trespassers". Birds can be pretty vicious and don't automatically accept new members to their flock. So your new birds might eventually join the pecking order, or they might not.
Your original birds may even starve the new ones (food and water. Even shelter from weather)

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I agree, that coop is way too small for your Australorps. They need a coop that provides about 4 square feet of space per bird. So 4x4 = 16 square feet. That coop does not appear to be 4x4' in the middle where they will sleep. You don't count the nest area on the side. When you buy those prefab coops, they say they will fit 4 to 6 or sometimes even as many as 8 chickens, but that's just ridiculous. They need room to move around and flap their wings.

As far as the lady carrying the chickens by the legs, that's the way old-timers always used to do things. It's convenient and they don't think about how the chickens might feel about it. I used to do it that way myself, it's how I was taught. Thankfully, BYC taught me better ways.

When you add new chickens to an existing flock suddenly like you did, there's going to be conflict. Here are a couple of articles on integrating groups of chickens to each other. I wrote the first one myself. Just touch the brown text of either one and it will take you to the article. Good luck!

This is my article on Integrating:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-a-pictorial-guide.79343/

And here is another excellent article on integrating flocks:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-chickens-step-by-step.72815/

 

[lilofthestars]

As the coop is too small to lock them in to home them to it, and they're skittish, best to wait until it's nearly dark and then manually move them from the top of the coop to inside until they figure it out.

My husband had made a coupe about 10 years ago and it was pretty large but when my pet chickens got killed by raccoon he destroyed it. We had those chickens for nine years two Brahmas and a mix Chick which was very mean. his plans were to build another coop, but he’s been sick with pain now I might’ve made a mistake getting these chickens. They’re so skittish. I feel sorry for them. They do free range most of the day they’re not stuck in that coop that’s only for sleeping and almost 6 days. We have not even got one egg they may be molting and I know that’s probably the reason at least one of the reasons I might’ve made a big mistake by getting those my Novogen browns we bought them at four months old and they’re very very sweet. I can’t believe they’re going after the other chickens that amazes me and I feel so sorry for those poor chickens. The lady just decided she didn’t want any more chickens anymore after she raised him from a day old.

 

[lilofthestars]

The coop appears to be too small for those birds. They can barely fit on the roof, so inside would be too small. It's unlikely they'll be able to comfortably use that coop for a few reasons.

Is your original flock bullying the new birds? It was written confusingly, but that's how I'm interpreting it.
Your original birds "own" your property, and the new birds are "trespassers". Birds can be pretty vicious and don't automatically accept new members to their flock. So your new birds might eventually join the pecking order, or they might not.
Your original birds may even starve the new ones (food and water. Even shelter from weather)

Thank you for your reply. They will not go hungry. That’s for sure. They have a huge backyard to free range in and I make sure that they get their food when the other girls leave the enclosure and the other girls go in. I give them food and shut the gate so they can eat so there’s no way they’re gonna go hungry or thirsty. I’m just wanting to gain their trust eventually my husband will be making a huge coup for them like they had before. and besides that they have the whole yard, which is a large fenced in yard to free range they did not have that before. They was cooped up in a large enclosure. I couldn’t even see if the sun got to them because it was in the corner even the previous owner said all they’re probably in heaven being able to free range in that large area.

 

[Not-so Slick Chicken]

Thank you for your reply. They will not go hungry. That’s for sure. They have a huge backyard to free range in and I make sure that they get their food when the other girls leave the enclosure and the other girls go in. I give them food and shut the gate so they can eat so there’s no way they’re gonna go hungry or thirsty. I’m just wanting to gain their trust eventually my husband will be making a huge coup for them like they had before. and besides that they have the whole yard, which is a large fenced in yard to free range they did not have that before. They was cooped up in a large enclosure. I couldn’t even see if the sun got to them because it was in the corner even the previous owner said all they’re probably in heaven being able to free range in that large area.

Just moving to a new area is going to be stressful for them, so them being skittish is probably a normal behavior.
If they've never free-ranged before, that's a whole new scary thing for them.
And meeting new chickens, who are the masters of the property, is very scary.

There may be other ways to get a large coop if ya'll aren't in a situation to build right now. (But some other options can cost more money so that's not always realistic.)

 

[rosemarythyme]

My husband had made a coupe about 10 years ago and it was pretty large but when my pet chickens got killed by raccoon he destroyed it. We had those chickens for nine years two Brahmas and a mix Chick which was very mean. his plans were to build another coop, but he’s been sick with pain now I might’ve made a mistake getting these chickens. They’re so skittish. I feel sorry for them. They do free range most of the day they’re not stuck in that coop that’s only for sleeping and almost 6 days. We have not even got one egg they may be molting

Don't worry about size of the coop for now. Just manually put them in each night (so they can't see very well and you won't have to chase them around) and continue to do so until they start understanding that's where they're supposed to be at night.

They may not lay the rest of this year due to age and molt, but even if they were laying back at their previous home the stress of moving to a new home can put them off laying for a few weeks anyhow.