Chickens don't want to leave coop........

[luv2greys]

My 27 chickens are 3 months old now, have been in their coop which is a retrofitted horse stall in our barn that we have made predator proof ,for several weeks. My husband spent many hours and lots of $$ making the large run out attached to the stall safe from predators, including netting over the top to protect them from attack from the air. They have been able to go outside for a week now--I open the door and they can have access to the outside all day long, They spend the night safely inside the coop.

Anyway, about half of the chickens love to go outdoors. It has been hot and humid, so they don't spend large amounts of time outside but come and go as they please. There are at least a handful of the chickens who have never ventured outside. At this point there isn't any shade so I am sure that makes a difference also. Trying to think of a way to provide some shading such as a tarp over part of the netting.

These are my first chickens so am wondering if this is normal behavior? Do you think even those that don't go outside now will venture out when the weather moderates? It seems so inviting to be able to go out and scratch in the grass and dirt so kind of mystifies me that almost half of them prefer their coop. The coop IS large with a swimming pool filled with sand for dust bathing and I have 2 fans going on them in this weather.

I appreciate any thoughts and experience that you might have. Thanks!

 

[chfite]

Chickens are strange. I would just be patient. Eventually, they will venture outside.

You could move the water outside.

I had a bunch sleep on the porch of the coop for several weeks, before they moved inside.

Chris

 

[nab58]

Mine don't like the summer sun and will go back into the coop and hang out in the sand which must be cool.