Well, flocks have different personalities, and just for the record, I am with wildpeas, our runners are anything but skittish or paranoid. They are wary of anything that looks like danger, though, and the prospect of running into a strange and dark space would not make sense to them, based on my runners' behavior.
When I introduce them to a new space I do it in full daylight, I bring treats and let them enjoy themselves with me there, and I let them explore it as they wish for a while. They put themselves in at night or stand at the gate and wait to be let in - no problems getting them to safe night shelter here. In fact if it is cloudy and they think I am late to let them in, they holler.
A few of the runners hate the dark, so solar charged rope lights have been very helpful. They come on at dusk and slowly fade out around daybreak. Not a whole lot of light, but enough to soothe the ones who dislike total dark.
