Moving chickens out to outside coop

[BlueEggsAndHens]

Hey everyone,
I'm possibly moving my chickens out to their outdoor coop for the first time I just wanted to come on here to ask what things I should do and consider being their first night.
And what to do in the morning and future nights and how to teach them of their coop.
Thanks a lot

 

[Debbie292d]

Hey everyone,
I'm possibly moving my chickens out to their outdoor coop for the first time I just wanted to come on here to ask what things I should do and consider being their first night.
And what to do in the morning and future nights and how to teach them of their coop.
Thanks a lot

Are these coming from a brooder in your house?

How old are they and are there chickens already living in the coop?

If it's just them, I'd put them in their coop at night with food and water and keep them in there for a few days before letting them out to the run or to free range. That way they know that's where they live now.

If you have other chickens in there, that's a whole different plan.

We've done it from outdoor grow-out pens to the coop, and with silkies, once they are five months old, they blend in well with the adults in the coop. It takes about four evenings of us corralling them to go to the coop at night. We lock them out of their grow-out pen.

 

[bharris0426]

Ditto to the above. If you are placing a new flock into a coop make sure they are comfy. Wood shavings/bedding, warmth if you are in a cold area inflate the coop with cardboard or insulation. Put them out with food and water for a few days. My coop had a small attached run so we open the door to the run after a few days to teach them to go back and forth inside. Then in the large yard after a day or 2. We corral them in to the coop with treats at night the first couple of nights in the big yard. Then they just learn to be up by dark. That happens very quickly in my experience. Then we just close the door at night.. every morning put food out in the feeders THEN let them out. Putting food out with them there is a PITA! lol. That is when i collect eggs as well. They run out to eat and I walk in to get Eggs. Perfecto. If you are integrating new chicks to already established Chickens in the coop. You have to do that slowly. We have a large dog kennel in the middle of our chicken yard. We leave the new chicks in the cage for at least 2 weeks. They do their pecking order mess through the cage and get used to each other without hurting each other. We cover the kennel at night and if super cold we bring them in for the night.. then after the alotted time out them in the Coop at night when everyone is settled and sleepy. They wake up.. all run out together the next morning and everyone is in the flock. I know that's a lot. But it works like a charm. Hope that helps.

 

[BlueEggsAndHens]

Are these coming from a brooder in your house?

How old are they and are there chickens already living in the coop?

If it's just them, I'd put them in their coop at night with food and water and keep them in there for a few days before letting them out to the run or to free range. That way they know that's where they live now.

If you have other chickens in there, that's a whole different plan.

We've done it from outdoor grow-out pens to the coop, and with silkies, once they are five months old, they blend in well with the adults in the coop. It takes about four evenings of us corralling them to go to the coop at night. We lock them out of their grow-out pen.

They are 9 weeks old,
They coming from a brooder in my house
No chickens in there

 

[BlueEggsAndHens]

I

Hey everyone,
I'm possibly moving my chickens out to their outdoor coop for the first time I just wanted to come on here to ask what things I should do and consider being their first night.
And what to do in the morning and future nights and how to teach them of their coop.
Thanks a lot

Would also like to say that we live in sa and the nest few days are going to be really hot. Will it still be fine for them to spend all that time in their coop does have air flow.
I'll send a picture of their windows.

 

[BlueEggsAndHens]

I

Would also like to say that we live in sa and the nest few days are going to be really hot. Will it still be fine for them to spend all that time in their coop does have air flow.
I'll send a picture of their windows.

They have 3 of these windows. Also they won't be going in tonight because we haven't been able to finish it so they will go in tomorrow night. They also have a bit of air flow through the top of the door (that will also have rodent wire on it) to stop pesky cats an

d mouse and rats.

I also technically will be introducing a new flock 2 5 week old chicks. They have had some interaction but not enough to go together so I will most likely use the idea and get a kennel or some sort of cage to let them get to know each other.

There is a lot more to do to Thier coop but that's for future use not a now use.


Thanks a lot for all the help by the way means a lot. Gives me peace of mind I'm keeping them safe and happy.

 

[bharris0426]

I live in Bama. Our main flock was ready for the coop in the summer. It was fine. Now I did do this on the weekend and I checked on them mid day just to be sure they were good. The back of my coop is the nesting area so I opened that to look at them so I'm sure that let some extra air flow.

 

[BlueEggsAndHens]

H

Ditto to the above. If you are placing a new flock into a coop make sure they are comfy. Wood shavings/bedding, warmth if you are in a cold area inflate the coop with cardboard or insulation. Put them out with food and water for a few days. My coop had a small attached run so we open the door to the run after a few days to teach them to go back and forth inside. Then in the large yard after a day or 2. We corral them in to the coop with treats at night the first couple of nights in the big yard. Then they just learn to be up by dark. That happens very quickly in my experience. Then we just close the door at night.. every morning put food out in the feeders THEN let them out. Putting food out with them there is a PITA! lol. That is when i collect eggs as well. They run out to eat and I walk in to get Eggs. Perfecto. If you are integrating new chicks to already established Chickens in the coop. You have to do that slowly. We have a large dog kennel in the middle of our chicken yard. We leave the new chicks in the cage for at least 2 weeks. They do their pecking order mess through the cage and get used to each other without hurting each other. We cover the kennel at night and if super cold we bring them in for the night.. then after the alotted time out them in the Coop at night when everyone is settled and sleepy. They wake up.. all run out together the next morning and everyone is in the flock. I know that's a lot. But it works like a charm. Hope that helps.

Hey could I please screenshot this information your username wont be used I promise.
This will help a lot with my yr 12 project. For information. I promise I will not use your username just your info to show where my info came from. I would greatly appreciate.

 

[BlueEggsAndHens]

Alright I have a few more questions (sorry)

Ok so I'm going to have a nesting box for each of my 5 girls, should I be getting an extra nesting box for a spare. Or just one each.
How big should they be. If you could attach a photo of your nesting boxes or just estimated measurements would be amazing.

I have also got a perch for my rooster

Also is there any benefit to having an inclosed nesting box compared to one without walls or a roof? Me and my dad are making the nesting boxes ourselves and we are wondering if it's with giving them walls or without.

Thanks a lot sorry for all the questions

 

[Loving my girls]

I

Would also like to say that we live in sa and the nest few days are going to be really hot. Will it still be fine for them to spend all that time in their coop does have air flow.
I'll send a picture of their windows.

Hi, my father spent some time in South Africa, and he said it was Really hot, do you have your coop positioned in the shade ?