[taximan]

i have four hybred warrens. they live in a coop bought of e---y . have converted a 8 by5 shed.want some fancier chooks but i want them all to go in the shed. auto door everything,chicken palace.would,nt want all of them to try to squeeze into old coop.thinking of getting another 6. ten would be too many for old coop. whats the best way to go about it?

[Bonniebean]

Hello taximan, I am not experienced enough to give advice on this but I know from all the posts I have read that many people have done this successfully. If you put something in the search box like "introducing new chickens" you should get previous posts listed which may help.

[ehs284]

Moving coops shouldn't be a problem. We did this last year and it was easier than we expected. The new coop did have a fence around which made it easier. Seal up old coop. During day 1 introduce hens to new coop with corn treat. Keep them in the new fenced off area for an hour so thay explore. Let out as usual. At night they will be confused so if necessary carry to new coop and put on perches. Talk to the birds whilst you're doing this; it really does calm them. Shut up (the coop!). In morning let out as usual with food and water near new coop and nothing near old. In our case that was all that was necessary as on day 2 they went straight to the new coop.
As Bonniebean says there are lots of posts on introducing new chooks. The question is whether to introduce original chooks to new coop then get new ones or do everything in one big bang. I'd suggest start using new coop first as the newcomers will copy the old birds. Any other ideas people? You may have to keep them apart. We've gone from 7 to 14 in stages. The first attempt to introduce 4 large birds was difficult as they fought - with the new ones attacking the old. We separated them and gave them space during the day but they slept together. Now they are as one. Later we introduced bantams and young birds. The old birds sat on the perches and fluffed themselves so as to make it difficult for the babies to get up! The young ones were not even used to perching so we put a rail down the tier of perches which made  a strip to one side. Immediately the smaller birds went to the smaller side of the perches and we've had no real problems. I'd suggest that may help you. Pecking order trials are best left to them providing that it is just a peck. Again all has settled down and they wander around together only ascerting pecking order at treat time. HTH

[Elcie]

I moved 2 original birds to a new coup and introduced 5 new hens to them at the same time following advice on here.  In an ideal situation you would gradually introduce them but I wasn't able to do that.  I went and got the new chickens, had them in their cardboard boxes in the car, quickly went home and got my 2 originals, put them into a cardboard box.  Took all the boxes to their new home at the allotment and opened the boxes.  It seemed to work ok for me, yes there was some sorting out of the pecking order but that settled down and they get on ok now.

[taximan]

tried to putchooks in new shed last night.four chooks running back to old coop at 9 o clock at night. me neighbours must think im a loony.going to get new chooks this week and see what fun and games we have.

[hillfooter]

The issue here is not so much getting them to live in the new coop but introducing the new birds as they can be territorial as well as needing to establish a new pecking order.  As you have a new coop then you can help solve the terriorial issue by NOT moving the old birds until you introduce the new ones.  That way both sets of birds will take the new coop as their new territory rather than it belonging to one group.  This will help them accept each other so DON'T put the old girls in the shed yet.

Do things gradually is the best way and having several feed/drink stations is best if there are any fights as the established birds will try to defend their food and keep the new ones off.  It's not rocket science you just need to think like a chicken!

The ranging area maybe the most tricky to get them to share rather than the house.  If tyhere's a territory dispute you may ave to separate the ranges until they get used to one another.

Pecking order disputes will happen no matter what and is normal behaviour which you shouldn't need to intervene in.