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

[CabritaChicks]

Update:
So... turns out the hermit crabs decided to raid my chickens. I walked in to find some very rattled birds — and about 45 hermit crabs all over their feet, trying to get at the chicken feed. Suki was doing his best to protect everyone, but it was still quite a scene.

Looks like I’ll need to come up with some sort of hanging feeder to keep the crabs out. Fun fact: hermit crabs here in the Virgin Islands can live up to 30 years — these were just babies, the biggest about the size of a creepy little ping pong ball.

Now we are in damage control

 

[thecatumbrella]

Its definitely a issue. Hubby says he wants to be reincarnated as one of my birds.

Day 1:
Okay—so yesterday I asked Suki (my young rooster) to follow me down to the new coop in the late afternoon. He did, but wasn’t too thrilled about the parked heavy equipment nearby—it was unfamiliar and kind of spooky to him. The girls, however, didn’t follow at all. So I let everyone return to the old coop for the night.

This morning, I got smarter. I simply called them—and just like that, they all followed me down to the new coop, no hesitation. Once everyone was in, we shut the door. I gave them all their favorite treats: 21 veggie/fruit medley (my parrots eat a fresh diet so this is not an issue to shred versus chop the mix), cooked spaghetti squash, watermelon rinds, scrambled eggs, and a mix of homeopathic herbs rooted in Eastern medicine. These are their big ticket items.

They’ve got crumbles and a water feeder down there, so they’re set. It’s currently 2:30pm, they have been down there by themselves, but I have been watching them with binoculars every chance I get. I placed them in the run this AM- and first thing they explored the coop and roosting bars- which is a great sign....I had to make a run to the hardware store since the coop still needs a few finishing touches.

The plan now is to go work on the coop with my husband for a couple of hours (we should be able to wrap everything up!). While we’re down there, I’ll let the flock free range.... then attempt to coax them back in with more cooling treats like melon and frozen fruit.

Now we’ll see what happens tonight—whether they trek back up to the old coop or decide to stay put. I think they’ll want to come back up... they follow me quite a bit, and if I go up, they go up....but my husband’s betting they’ll stay down there (or he will lock them in and give me a giant glass of wine). We’ll see who’s right!

In summary:

• Called the chickens down to the new coop early this morning.
• They followed me eagerly for some yummy food.
• They’ve been hanging out there ever since (with the door closed).
• Later, I’ll work on the coop and let them free range nearby.
• Hoping to guide them back inside before dusk with cool treats.

You let them back out!
But I also wasn't expecting for your new setup to get overrun with hermit crabs. With all the drawbacks of living in New Hampshire, at least I don't have to worry about that.
By the way, I found a hanging feeder that cannot be beaked (I know we were discussing this in another thread). It's the Tower Feeder from Premier 1, but it has to be at least be the 9 pound version. Hopefully this can solve your crab issue.

 

[CabritaChicks]

@thecatumbrella

Day 2.5ish:

I know, I’m a softie — like chocolate left in the sun. Haha

After the whole hermit crab fiasco, we started packing bedrock around the base of the coop. Good luck tunneling through that, you little schnitts. It got late, so my husband and I finally threw in the towel for the night. Chickens stayed in the new coop overnight- of course it had to rain, which was a new sound for them as it is a different kind of roof than before, and it is louder. Old coop was wood and asphalt, the new one is wood and poly carbonate foam roofing (reflects the heat) but you can hear more of the raindrops. But the entire thing is dry even with the excessive ventilation- which is great!

They slept on the roosting bars, and one slept in a nest box. This morning, I gave them their morning chop, but definitely complaining... One hen is so loud it sounds like a 2 year old whining. I held steady- didn't let them out.

Since we took the night off: we still need to finish the coop properly with power tools and a caulk gun. They will be free ranging while we do so....

So once more, the plan is to lure them back inside by evening... and hopefully this time with less consoling from hubby as I was/am adjusting to the new setup myself. I went from being able to see the temporary coop from my window- to needed binoculars on the patio.

If the coop is 100% completed today, then I feel comfortable leaving them in for a few days (still wrapping my head around a week).

 

[McChooky]

Question on final 'moving day':
should I just toss a tarp over the old coop?

It’s a pretty steep trek to the new coop (picture about 90 non ADA stairs that aren’t exactly kind to someone about to have back surgery next month). Carrying the chickens down there is doable — but if they decide to march right back up- and they follow me and one another...? I honestly don’t have it in me to keep shuttling them.

I’m hopeful I can work a little feather magic, but this crew is already laying and pretty fond of their current nest. trying to think it through- avoid disaster.

You have to go down there every night anyway to lock them up. Why not lock them up a week and see if they don't go back after you let them out again?I hope you have help taking care of them when you have your surgery!

 

[CabritaChicks]

You have to go down there every night anyway to lock them up. Why not lock them up a week and see if they don't go back after you let them out again?I hope you have help taking care of them when you have your surgery!

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.

 

[thecatumbrella]

@thecatumbrella

Day 2.5ish:

I know, I’m a softie — like chocolate left in the sun. Haha

After the whole hermit crab fiasco, we started packing bedrock around the base of the coop. Good luck tunneling through that, you little schnitts. It got late, so my husband and I finally threw in the towel for the night. Chickens stayed in the new coop overnight- of course it had to rain, which was a new sound for them as it is a different kind of roof than before, and it is louder. Old coop was wood and asphalt, the new one is wood and poly carbonate foam roofing (reflects the heat) but you can hear more of the raindrops. But the entire thing is dry even with the excessive ventilation- which is great!

They slept on the roosting bars, and one slept in a nest box. This morning, I gave them their morning chop, but definitely complaining... One hen is so loud it sounds like a 2 year old whining. I held steady- didn't let them out.

View attachment 4163856

Since we took the night off: we still need to finish the coop properly with power tools and a caulk gun. They will be free ranging while we do so....

So once more, the plan is to lure them back inside by evening... and hopefully this time with less consoling from hubby as I was/am adjusting to the new setup myself. I went from being able to see the temporary coop from my window- to needed binoculars on the patio.

If the coop is 100% completed today, then I feel comfortable leaving them in for a few days (still wrapping my head around a week).

I understand having some anxiety about not being able to see the new coop well. My run is positioned where I can only see it from the laundry room or straddling a toilet. So I have a cam in the coop and one in the run that I check 9,318,054 times a day.

It sounds like they're doing well, and I bet you'll catch them "returning to base" on their own after a few days of help.

 

[CabritaChicks]

I understand having some anxiety about not being able to see the new coop well. My run is positioned where I can only see it from the laundry room or straddling a toilet. So I have a cam in the coop and one in the run that I check 9,318,054 times a day.

It sounds like they're doing well, and I bet you'll catch them "returning to base" on their own after a few days of help.

Aww, I guess I’m not alone then!

We actually had cameras in the temporary coop, but it turns out there’s no WiFi that reaches the coop now — something we just discovered. I’ve been begging my husband for an outdoor WiFi extender (which, by the way, is pricier than you’d think).

I know absolutely nothing about electronics — I even mess up the TV remote — so he had to break it down for me: we’d need an outdoor extender that can handle our weather, plus a power source.

So of course I piped up with, “What about a tiny solar panel?” He just laughed and said, “Why do you always have the most expensive solution for everything?”

Thank you for the encouragement. I really hope so as I love watching them explore and pester eachother.

 

[thecatumbrella]

So of course I piped up with, “What about a tiny solar panel?” He just laughed and said, “Why do you always have the most expensive solution for everything?”

Hey, it's not like you suggested getting the chickens their own Starlink. Are your girls laying eggs yet? If not, that will definitely be a way to bond them to the new coop.

 

[CabritaChicks]

Hey, it's not like you suggested getting the chickens their own Starlink. Are your girls laying eggs yet? If not, that will definitely be a way to bond them to the new coop.

One of my RIRs did, and that’s when I realized I needed to move them sooner rather than later — we were already behind on construction.

In the first coop, I think she laid out of sheer necessity. They didn’t really recognize the nest boxes as nesting spots; to them, they were just sleeping chambers as they were packed in like sardines. They were never actually in the old coop during the day — they spent all their time free ranging.

I’m hoping with this new coop, they’ll start to see it as a place to hang out during the day too, especially to escape our intense heat.

 

[fowltemptress]

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.