Am I doing something wrong?

[Ruler of the Roost]

They need a shelter to sleep in. If this is a temporary place you don't have to make a huge coop for them. I made a small temporary coop for my hens when I was introducing them to the flock. Just some 2x4's some plywood, an open bottom roost for them with hardware cloth to keep the predators from coming in the bottom. Just somewhere safe for them to sleep and roost.

I built a separate run off of the side of the existing run. They are connected but separate the adults from the pullets. Arguably it’s 8 times the size of the container I was using as a brooder.

 

[alinas2010]

Can’t really tell how old they are from your pic, so heat could be an issue if their feathers haven’t fully come in yet. Heed the advice of those posting about heat

But also, it could be that they’re afraid of the dark. Chickens don’t see well at night and have to be trained to sleep in their coop. Ours threw huge fits when we tried to move them outside into their coop. Remember it’s all new to them, they’ve never seen their new home in dark. We used battery operated lights (the ones you can stick to the bottom of shelves) stuck to the walls near their roosting bar on a timer for a week or so when we moved them out. We’d dim the lights after putting the chicks on their roost, then put the lights on a timer to be dimmed until they were finally off over about a half hours time.

 

[Ruler of the Roost]

How cold will it be by morning? How many are there? In your pic they look like day-old to week-old chicks (on my phone).

General rule of thumb, as far as I know, is that chicks in their first week should have access to heat up to 85-90°F with slightly cooler temps also accessible. Lower the temps by 5° per week until ambient temps are matched or they are fully feathered. For myself, at 3 to 4 weeks I stop supplementing heat, but they are in an enclosed brooder at night with bedding and can cuddle for warmth. Others may do differently.

Oh two of them are over a month and the rest are just shy of a month.

 

[Ruler of the Roost]

Can’t really tell how old they are from your pic, so heat could be an issue if their feathers haven’t fully come in yet. Heed the advice of those posting about heat

But also, it could be that they’re afraid of the dark. Chickens don’t see well at night and have to be trained to sleep in their coop. Ours threw huge fits when we tried to move them outside into their coop. Remember it’s all new to them, they’ve never seen their new home in dark. We used battery operated lights (the ones you can stick to the bottom of shelves) stuck to the walls near their roosting bar on a timer for a week or so when we moved them out. We’d dim the lights after putting the chicks on their roost, then put the lights on a timer to be dimmed until they were finally off over about a half hours time.

Wait… I have to put the chicks on their roost? I moved them out in haste as the new husky puppy has been terrorizing the pullets and actually caught one. Cinnabon is fine. Puppy caught a whoopin.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Also, just a word of unsolicited advice, chicken wire is not protective against most predators. It's only designed to keep chickens in or out. Half-inch hardware cloth is stouter and will protect against most predators when properly installed. Good luck and enjoy your flock!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Wait… I have to put the chicks on their roost? I moved them out in haste as the new husky puppy has been terrorizing the pullets and actually caught one. Cinnabon is fine. Puppy caught a whoopin.

Yes, they'll continue to do the cuddle puddle on the floor for a while.

 

[alinas2010]

Wait… I have to put the chicks on their roost? I moved them out in haste as the new husky puppy has been terrorizing the pullets and actually caught one. Cinnabon is fine. Puppy caught a whoopin.

Yes! They will have no idea where to sleep and what to do for the most part. Especially if it’s dark already, they won’t be able to see to get to their roost. They are like toddlers and have to be trained about where is a safe place to sleep.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

A roost a foot or so off the floor will get them started. You can gradually raise it; they'll get the idea.

 

[alinas2010]

A roost a foot or so off the floor will get them started. You can gradually raise it; they'll get the idea.

Agree, the height is important so that they can actually reach the roost themselves once they learn and descend it safely in the morning.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Since you mentioned they're at least 1 month-ish or more, and already weaned off heat, they're most likely just upset about being outside in the dark with no real shelter (they do need something to help block any winds). Something as simple as even a cardboard box weighed down with a brick will do, as long as there's no rain in the forecast.

As others have mentioned chicken wire is not predator proof, so if this isn't inside a larger predator proof enclosure, that's something I'd work on beefing up.