New to chicken

[Johny]

Hi all i am new to chickens so have questions galore but at the moment the one that is foremost is how do i get my chooks to use their new coop i have made for them they are approx 10 weeks old growing well, 4 Sussex and a Rhode Island Red cockerel when i first had them a little before the coop was made i kept them in a pen in an out building now they have a large run but refuse to use the coop and want to huddle on the floor of the run not the safest place obviously, do i lock them in bearing in mind it gets rather warm here in south west France we do have foxes but with having goats and 4 Old English Sheepdogs that roam and leave their scent everywhere they seem to skirt our place, bedding also what do i use, the locals seem to use anything and look at me as though i am mad when ask about it, though its August it wont be long before the winter sets in ,yes it gets cold here minus 18 is not unusual and snowed in for a few days during december through to Feb how do they cope wih cold, hope you can advise please

[jackian]

Welcome I have had this problem the last week or so as I brought a new coup for my chickens and they ignored it .People told me to pick them up and put them in at about bed time and I resisted and they thought they had won . .Then 3 nights ago I picked each of them up and put them in and from the very next morning they laid their eggs in there and the last two nights have gone in unaided .I realise now they did not know where to go .
If it is dark a torch just inside the coup will help them on their way as they will go towards the light . They are still young so need a bit of help .
Good luck and let us know how you get on .

[KarenE]

Hi Johny

Welcome from me as well. For bedding, I use straw (Don't use hay) which works fine. I lay shredded paper on the bottom and top with straw. Some people use auboise or easibed but I suppose it depends what you can get over there. Straw works fine for me and it can be composted.

They cope fine with the cold. They will snuggle together for warmth. I have lined my coop floor and Walls with cardboard for insulation (my coop is a stone building) and a mat on the floor, and I have lined between the walls and cardboard with bubble wrap. They all seem fine. The main thing to watch out for in the cold is condensation and that their water doesn't freeze.

Karen

[mariat]

Hi, and welcome.
When I got my girls nearly 3 weeks ago, they panicked at dusk not knowing where to go to bed. My hubby picked them up and put them in the coop, and from then on they have taken themselves to bed every night. I just go and close the coop door behind them. As for bedding, I asked the same question last week. I was using shredded paper, but it got soiled and nasty really quickly and I was struggling to make enough. I decided to try Hemcore, made from hemp and has added citronella. It's been down for 4 days now, and as long as I poop pick daily, the coop stays lovely and fresh smelling, with no flies. A 20kg bale has done 2, 3x4ft coops and still have some left. It's actually made for horse bedding, and have no idea if you can get it in France, but it's worth trying.

[chookmike]

How much do you pay for Hemcore, Mariat, and is it messy and blown or thrown around by the hens?

Thanks. We have flies despite two red tops killing thousands and a waft of citronella might please the neighbours...

Cheers

Mike