How long do make them imprint new coop?

[Dazlin]

Usually I let them stay in for about 5 days, but I'm having a problem with everyone getting along, since I moved them 4 days ago. I want to let them out, I know they'll all be happier, but I think they may go back to the old coop. How long have you kept chickens in before letting them free-range?

[KSALguy]

when i get new birds i genearlly dont let anyone out to free range for at least a week, but then i am not dealing with moveing from one coop to another on the same property, it may take longer if they can still see the coop they came from,

[Danaus29]

Can you set up a temporary fence around the new coop? You would need it for only a few more days.

[Dazlin]

No, I can't put another fenced in area. There is a good sized run attached, but no one will go out because they hate the roo and the hen he's with. I'm trying to wait as long as possible, but since they won't come down off the roostes with the these 2 in there, I was trying to speed thing up.

[Danaus29]

You may have to remove the roo and the other hen for a few days to let the new group get used to the coop. You could confine the 2 in a large dog crate inside the coop (if it's large enough) for a few days.

[Dazlin]

I could put the roo and the hen in the center isle, which is all connected to the coop, and they could see each other...but, I don't know if separating them will just prolong things, and getting the pecking order in place.???

[KSALguy]

Take them off the roost. Put them out in the yard and shut the door. Make them get over it. They will sort it out in about a day.

[Dazlin]

Thanks KSALguy...I'm going to do what you said...I'll throw them all out in the run. Their really getting on my nerves now!!

[Dazlin]

Just wanted to report back on the progress. Things are sooo much better out in the run! Everyones eating, and of course there's some usual pecking order behavior. I peeled each bird off the roost for the 2nd day today, and locked them out in the run. They still jumped up on the roostes when I let them in at 5 pm...I will do the same tomorrow, and hopefully, they be completely over it!

[akane]

If they were new to the property a few days for chickens and a few weeks for guineas. I've had minimal issues turning new ones loose with the flock. I had to collect 3 off a fence once and our first batch of young guineas tried to sleep in hole in the yard the first night but after 1 or 2 nights of being sent back to the coop they figured it out.

If they had an established roosting location elsewhere on the property a week minimum and I'd be really sure to do what I could to block them from getting to their old roosting locations and/or build a temporary pen for their first few trips outside. For some newer japanese bantams that decided they wanted to roost on a building across the driveway instead of with the flock of standards I just shoved some 5' fiberglass rods in the ground and surrounded it in garden fencing around one door of the coop for 3weeks to give them some outdoor space without committing to a permanent pen. We had a few fly the fence but then their buddies did not follow so they just ran around the pen and coop. Provided we got out there before dark all we had to do was pull the corner post and herd them back in before locking everyone up for the night. We pulled it out before the ground froze for winter and never had another issue until we bought a second coop and wanted to move all the bantams to that one away from the guineas who were roughing them up. Again we just pitched a temporary pen that required no more than a hammer for the rods and some zip/cable ties, checked for lost chickens in the evening, and pulled out by hand a few weeks later.

[Dazlin]

Thanks...they're not going anywhere for a while yet. They're still acting like like idiots, but they're ok out in the run.