Chickens TOO chicken!

[Qi Chicken]

The heat index today was 100 and we decided to open the chicken door and let the chickens get some air. The roof isn't quite done so we were worried they might try to fly out (6 foot fence),

NO WORRIES!

I sat there for 2 hours and although every single chicken poked its head out, and both the black austrolorps ventured half way down the ramp, NONE of the 16 chickens made it into the run. We had a piece of watermelon on every other step and still no go.

The family had a friendly wager on who would be the first and the last into the run. The australorps were a huge surprise as none of us even thought they would be in the top 5. Mr. Rooster was all talk and no walk.

Try again tomorrow! Maybe we can finish the roof before they screw up their courage!

 

[Qi Chicken]

Ok, it's been two days now and they are not really going out at all. A few at a time will come out but for the most part they stay inside. I thought they would LOVE their run? Is it normal for them to want to be inside still? From other people's posts it seemed like the chickens were lined up at the door and they spend all day outside?? What's up?? The run is sand (still wet from the rains) and it has been beautiful weather (finally) in the 80s and sunny but with some wind.

 

[tellynpeep]

How old are they? If they have never been outside, they will have to be shown it is a good place! Take them out, feed them out there, and give them some treats.

 

[Qi Chicken]

They are twelve weeks today. And unfortunately, no, they haven't been outside. It took much longer to finish the run than we thought and by the time I realized how old they were getting I didn't feel safe just letting them out. We have many predators, and lots of places to hide. I would do it differently if I did it again. I am giving them treats out there. Watermelon and water. Will it just take time? We tried to just put them through the door, the faster I would hand them out the faster they would run back in, nearly knocking me over. It was actually pretty comical but I thought we were probably just scaring them so we stopped.

 

[slackwater]

Is there still food & water inside the coop? May want to move it out (after freshening it up, so that it is more interesting) into the run while they have access to it. I am of the type who would enlist help to throw them out of the coop and shut the door until they get over their fear of the great outdoors. But I'm sure time will have the same effect

 

[tellynpeep]

This is why the label "Free-Range" is meaningless on chicken. They keep them indoors for the first 5 weeks ("biosecurity") then open the door to an outside enclosure. The chickens never go outside, since it is totally foreign and terrifying to them.

I agree; you will have to push them out. Maybe close the door to the coop till they figure out OUT is GOOD!