Are my chickens defective lol?

[dbounds10]

I have 9 two month old chicks that moved out to the coops about 3 weeks ago. For two weeks they were confined to the coop and a very small section of the run for coop training. They loved going out in their small run evey day to eat and dust bathe and play. They learned quickly and put themselves to bed every night. Saturday I removed the barrier and gave them access to the entire run and moved the food and water out of the house. I don’t want critters in the coop getting free meals. Since then they mostly stay in the house. Every time I look outside, no one is out. I go out to the run and they all run outside and eat and drink but when I leave they go back inside. They all seem happy and healthy but before they had the whole run their little crops were full to the top every night before bed. Now they seem only half full. Anyone else have experience with this? Pics of my set up below.

 

[Shadrach]

I have 9 two month old chicks that moved out to the coops about 3 weeks ago. For two weeks they were confined to the coop and a very small section of the run for coop training. They loved going out in their small run evey day to eat and dust bathe and play. They learned quickly and put themselves to bed every night. Saturday I removed the barrier and gave them access to the entire run and moved the food and water out of the house. I don’t want critters in the coop getting free meals. Since then they mostly stay in the house. Every time I look outside, no one is out. I go out to the run and they all run outside and eat and drink but when I leave they go back inside. They all seem happy and healthy but before they had the whole run their little crops were full to the top every night before bed. Now they seem only half full. Anyone else have experience with this? Pics of my set up below.

I take it these are incubator chicks (?)
It's normal for chicks to be very cautious about open spaces. What gives their lack of feeling secure away is when you show up, being the nearst thing they have to a parent, they feel safe enough to venture outside.
They will slowly adapt. Spend time in the run with them and more important, provide lots of cover in the run for them to hide under.

 

[dbounds10]

I take it these are incubator chicks (?)
It's normal for chicks to be very cautious about open spaces. What gives their lack of feeling secure away is when you show up, being the nearst thing they have to a parent, they feel safe enough to venture outside.
They will slowly adapt. Spend time in the run with them and more important, provide lots of cover in the run for them to hide under.

They weren’t incubated but I brooded them in a dog cage indoors for 5 weeks because we were finishing up the coop and run and the weather was bad and we have predators. I’m working on adding things to the run for them but they also have the under side of the small coop that they like to hang out under to dust bathe. I got out several times a day for a few minutes because I work from home. And of course as soon as I posted this they were all outside digging in the wood chips

 

[drdoct]

It won't be long that you'll wish they'd go back in that coop when you're trying to catch one. I agree with shadrach above. They'll brave up soon enough.

 

[Mrs. K]

I do think adding more clutter will help. They like things they can get under or on top of. But even if you do nothing, they will figure it out.