5 tips for getting birds to a new coop in the forest?

[CabritaChicks]

This is going to sound rude, but I want to be clear that it's not intended to be, and I love you for your philosophy on caging birds, but what is wrong with your coop and run that you'd think it cruel to lock them in there for a week? I understand where you're coming from, but remember, there is a huge difference between limited mobility caused by surgery and being a healthy person with free reign of a house. There's any number of things and emergencies in life that could happen besides just getting birds used to a new coop that may necessitate keeping them confined for longer periods. If I were you, I'd make the run bigger if need be, add several different types of perches and interesting "clutter" in the run, dump leaves and other organic "toys" for them to scratch through - whatever it takes to get to the point where you have a space you're comfortable locking chickens into should the need arise.

No offense. Just different opinions.

Alright, let me put it another way: imagine someone who lives in a small apartment working a desk job versus someone who works on a farm all day. Who’s going to have stronger muscles, better lung capacity, and overall cardiovascular health? Which person do you think could better defend themselves if being attacked?

My chickens fly straight up 7 feet into the trees, flutter down, sprint in 30ft circles chasing each other, ducking under and over rotten wood, jumping to steal fruit off of trees — and chase butterflies (their favorite pastime).

Here they are being goofballs exploring around the coop today- they hopped down from playing on a massive dead tree where I guess they found something interesting:

I live in a tropical forest- on a mountain side, on the sea. Could I give them a bigger run? Sure, but it would never top the forest itself. To do so, I’d have to clear trees and native edible plants (not happening), spend a fortune wind and hurricane-proofing (we have 30knot wind for fun here daily), and it still wouldn’t compare. It’s not like I have a flat grassy lawn in a temperate climate with easy access to farm supplies and a local stocked Home Depot.

I never planned for them to stay in the coop all day. During real hurricanes, we have a dedicated avian shelter (12" poured concrete partially underground). If there’s an emergency (medical or otherwise), of course I can leave them in the coop — but transitioning them into a new flat I’d rather it be a natural process.

Right now, we’re just working on the finishing touches while the chickens roam freely in and out, exactly how I always intended to raise them. Honestly, I’m so proud of how well they’re handling it.

So far, it seems like they’re loving the new setup, they even ran back to the new coop for a lunch break. I’ll see how they do tonight, but — knock on wood — this transition has been way smoother than I expected. Fingers crossed it stays that way!

 

[fowltemptress]

No offense. Just different opinions.

Alright, let me put it another way: imagine someone who lives in a small apartment working a desk job versus someone who works on a farm all day. Who’s going to have stronger muscles, better lung capacity, and overall cardiovascular health? Which person do you think could better defend themselves if being attacked?

Whichever one keeps their guns within easy reach rather than stashing them away in a locked safe.

I'll put my money on the broody mama who just spent a month barely moving from her nest being better able to defend herself and her chicks from an attack. I've seen them take down things that would have made my grandma's rotts turn tail and run.
Birds don't lose conditioning in quite the same way humans do, and they don't have anywhere near as hard a time gaining it back, thank goodness!

 

[CabritaChicks]

Great points!

My husband just put it perfectly: “It’s like keeping a shepherd dog in an apartment. Sure, they might survive — but they’re not going to be physically or emotionally stable, when get out and go nuts and strain themselves" (coming from a dog trainer)

I know for a fact that a bird’s muscles — especially in chickens — can start to degrade in as little as five days (trust me, I spent way too much on a university education to ever forget that). Those hormones and biochemical signals are what keep their bodies moving and systems thriving.

Plus, it’s not just about muscle; regular movement is crucial for maintaining their circulation and respiratory efficiency, too. Keeping them active is essential for their overall health.

So yes, I could lock the chickens up for 7 days, but considering what their lifestyle has been — and will continue to be — as they are still young and growing, I want to give them the best chance.

That said: they all just went to the new coop by themselves just now to play with their new 'blair witch' wood rungs. Ill bring them vittles later- see if they are still there and happy. Ill make a judgement call to lock them in, or let them explore.

Note: My firearms have names.

 

[McChooky]

Chicken wire on the run might work if your chickens are going to free range all the time. Did you say your chickens are only 16 weeks old? That's kinda young to be 'on their own'

 

[NatJ]

Plus, it’s not just about muscle; regular movement is crucial for maintaining their circulation and respiratory efficiency, too. Keeping them active is essential for their overall health.

Depending on the size and arrangement of your run, they may get almost as much exercise inside it as they would outside.

Dustbathing should use the same amount of energy anywhere.

Scratching should be about the same whether they are inside or out, as long as there is plenty of stuff to make it worth their while (example: pile of composting stuff that attracts worms and bugs.)

Flying up to a perch, and down again, and over to another one, does still use their wing muscles. They may not do quite as much flying inside a run as they would outside, but you can definitely increase it by how you arrange things inside the run.

They cannot run long distances inside a run, but chickens usually spend large amounts of time moving around from one side to another, one activity to another, interacting or avoiding each other, and so forth. When I watch chickens in a run or a coop, they seem to be in constant motion.

So yes, I could lock the chickens up for 7 days, but considering what their lifestyle has been — and will continue to be — as they are still young and growing, I want to give them the best chance.

If you manage the transition without locking them in, that is not a problem.

But if you ever have a time when you NEED to lock them in, I hope you can do it without being too distressed. I really think this is bothering you more than it would ever bother them.

 

[CabritaChicks]

Chicken wire on the run might work if your chickens are going to free range all the time. Did you say your chickens are only 16 weeks old? That's kinda young to be 'on their own'

Why would you say they are too young to be on their own?
I free-range my chickens all day, every day. They have full access to both their coop and the surrounding forest. This has now become a parenting thingy.

After spending seven weeks living in my open plan living room, they were brought outside and started free-ranging at around seven-nine weeks old. They’ve always returned to the coop on their own each evening. A few times, when my husband and I had a date night and wouldn’t be back by dusk, we simply told them, “Go to bed,” and they went right in. The one time we forgot? They still tucked themselves in without a fuss.

As for chicken wire on the run — that’s the standard here. We don’t have predators like many other places, nor do my chickens try to escape? I’ve spoken with locals whose families have raised chickens for generations, and this is what they all use, for plenty of practical reasons. It’s not like chicken wire grows on trees around here the way it seems to in the States. Their age (oldest is 17 weeks) doesn’t really have anything to do with it.

Also worth noting: our nights stay around 75°F, and daytime temps climb well over 90°F, paired with high humidity. Yes, they live outdoors, and I spend a few hours each day out there with them, walking and foraging together.

Honestly, I was just hoping for a simple list of “5 things,” but this has turned into something entirely different!

 

[CabritaChicks]

If you manage the transition without locking them in, that is not a problem.

But if you ever have a time when you NEED to lock them in, I hope you can do it without being too distressed. I really think this is bothering you more than it would ever bother them.

I didn’t get my PhD for nothing. Hate me for saying it, but your statement is completely incorrect. A run doesn’t need to be 35x70 feet and 12 feet high (or more) for just six chickens — that’s not how this works. It comes down to slow versus fast-twitch muscle groups, which are very different.

Honestly, I’m alone here, and this has drifted way off topic. I’m not distressed at all — in fact, the chickens just went into the coop on their own without me ever having to lock them in. This is day 2.5, and they’ve already fully integrated, happily tucking themselves in for the night.

I was really just hoping for some helpful tips, not a lecture on why I should punish my chickens to force them to conform to my rules versus allowing chickens to be birds.

 

[McChooky]

Because I find caging cruel- to be honest, I dont cage my parrots either. Chickens, like most birds, have around 175 different muscles, all working together to control their wings, legs, and even internal organs. About 75% of a chicken’s total weight is muscle mass, with the largest muscles being the pectorals, which power their wing flapping. This impressive muscle structure doesn’t just help them move — it’s also key to quickly escaping predators when needed.

I know people often think, “what difference can 7 days make?” But as someone who’s had over 20 surgeries (plus physical therapy before and after those 7-day recoveries) and a background in physical fitness, I can say — it’s not ideal even for muscle endurance. The body eats muscle in lighting speed, but take an immense amount of effort to rebuild (ask any athlete or body builder).

Yes, they’re technically livestock, but I still care deeply about their emotional well-being. Right now, when they free-range, they perch in trees, sprint at full speed, and just mentally enjoy being birds. Locking them up feels like a bit of a moral hurdle for me (your mileage may vary) as I am accustomed to seeing them be adorable.

I’ll be gone for two weeks stateside, so we’ve hired a pet sitter to live in our home and care for both the parrots and the chickens. When I return, my husband will be here along with friends for some moral support.

Once your chickens learn the coop is safe they'll return and roost there faithfully. The hardheaded ones will have to be locked up a while. Some learn fast and some learn slow. Once a chickens been attacked in the coop they'll find somewhere else to roost.Chickens aren't dumb. Coops are all about safety and if yours is safe they'll stay

 

[CabritaChicks]

Day 3.5 (for anyone keeping score).

The chickens are absolute champs — strutting in and out of the coop like they’ve owned it forever! I actually shared all the coop build details in a forum article. It’s amazing how quickly they’ve settled in, though Gypsy Chick is the one exception… she is special and sat around crying and couldnt find the door.....but she likely won’t be with us much longer, as she already has a new home lined up.

They’re loving both the coop and the shaded forest out back (blare-witch style). I also told the construction crew to stop giving them junk food on the other side of the property, which definitely helped.

I think they made the new coop home?

Now I need to put the temporary coop up for sale (definitely not a-tear down situation).

 

[McChooky]

Depending on the size and arrangement of your run, they may get almost as much exercise inside it as they would outside.

Dustbathing should use the same amount of energy anywhere.

Scratching should be about the same whether they are inside or out, as long as there is plenty of stuff to make it worth their while (example: pile of composting stuff that attracts worms and bugs.)

Flying up to a perch, and down again, and over to another one, does still use their wing muscles. They may not do quite as much flying inside a run as they would outside, but you can definitely increase it by how you arrange things inside the run.

They cannot run long distances inside a run, but chickens usually spend large amounts of time moving around from one side to another, one activity to another, interacting or avoiding each other, and so forth. When I watch chickens in a run or a coop, they seem to be in constant motion.


If you manage the transition without locking them in, that is not a problem.

But if you ever have a time when you NEED to lock them in, I hope you can do it without being too distressed. I really think this is bothering you more than it would ever bother them.

Its possible to train chickens to return to the coop with a signal when an emergency is present so you can lock them up(tornado warning, family emergency, hawk or stray dog nearby)I watched a video of a lady who trained her chickens to run to the house anytime she blew a whistle. It was quite amazing to watch!