7-8 week old chicks in the run

[KayNova]

So I have eight 7-8 week old Bovan Brown's. I've handled them a lot and they are super super friendly and tame. Maybe that was the wrong thing to do but it's hard for me to not spend time with animals that I'm raising. My concern is that they don't love spending time in their run unless I'm in there with them. The coop door is open during the day giving them access to a large grassy run. If I go in there and call for them they run out and start packing away at the ground or sunbathing. When I leave the run they'll stay put for a little while but always just go back to sitting in their coop. They do have a particularly nice and roomy coop. I have a few roosts out in the run and some stumps for them to play on but they're not really interested. Is this normal for the age or breed? They roost way high up in the coop so I know they know what to do. Do you think me handling them too much could've caused them to have anxieties about the run?? I don't even know if that makes sense but I have to ask!

 

[Chickie pants]

I think give them sometime and they will be OK.

 

[AquaDuck]

On the contrary, it's good that you've handled them so much, so that they at least come out when you go into the run!
They probably won't use the roosts in the run, since they only use them when going to bed, and that should preferably be inside.

How do you feed them? If all of their food is inside, they have no real reason to leave their comfort area. If you put all of their feed and water outside, they have to go out to get it. Restricting feed during morning/daytime will also help their foraging tendencies. Hide some yummy treats around the yard for them to find, and then give them their ordinary chicken feed back when they've got them all.

 

[Chickassan]

They are still kids, in a week or two you won't be able to pry them out of that run.Little things are in that "got to be in mom's sight" mode. As they get older you get less cool to them and they begin to act like actual chickens.

 

[KayNova]

On the contrary, it's good that you've handled them so much, so that they at least come out when you go into the run!
They probably won't use the roosts in the run, since they only use them when going to bed, and that should preferably be inside.

How do you feed them? If all of their food is inside, they have no real reason to leave their comfort area. If you put all of their feed and water outside, they have to go out to get it. Restricting feed during morning/daytime will also help their foraging tendencies. Hide some yummy treats around the yard for them to find, and then give them their ordinary chicken feed back when they've got them all.

Oh! I was told that until they're 16 weeks old they should be on starter feed and have access to feed 24/7. Is that incorrect??

 

[Chickie pants]

Oh! I was told that until they're 16 weeks old they should be on starter feed and have access to feed 24/7. Is that incorrect??

I think that's what it says on the bag

 

[junebuggena]

Once it's dark, they don't eat or drink. Chickens have terrible night vision, so they aren't up and hanging out all night long, they are sleeping. No point in having feed in the coop all night. It will just attract unwanted visitors and rodents.
And if it's unmedicated, there is absolutely no reason you ever NEED to switch feed.

 

[barred2rock]

On the contrary, it's good that you've handled them so much, so that they at least come out when you go into the run!
They probably won't use the roosts in the run, since they only use them when going to bed, and that should preferably be inside.

How do you feed them? If all of their food is inside, they have no real reason to leave their comfort area. If you put all of their feed and water outside, they have to go out to get it. Restricting feed during morning/daytime will also help their foraging tendencies. Hide some yummy treats around the yard for them to find, and then give them their ordinary chicken feed back when they've got them all.

Chickens typically sleep at the highest point they can get to. The key is to have your highest roost in the coop. My BRs jump up and down from the roost in their run all day and go to the higher roost in the coop shortly before dark.

 

[AquaDuck]

Oh! I was told that until they're 16 weeks old they should be on starter feed and have access to feed 24/7. Is that incorrect??

They should indeed have access to as much food as they want during the day. But you can put it out in the morning, and take it away after nighttime.
If you wait an hour after they wake up, and then put food only in the run, that'll encourage them to go outside. They won't starve for that one hour, but build up an appetite. Do this a few days, and they'll get the drill. Then you can try to put the food in their house again from morning time, and see if they will still go outside.

 

[AquaDuck]

Chickens typically sleep at the highest point they can get to. The key is to have your highest roost in the coop. My BRs jump up and down from the roost in their run all day and go to the higher roost in the coop shortly before dark.

Ah! Mine spends all the time on the ground during daytime, no matter what alternatives they have. Depends on the flock, I guess.