My chicks are scared to be outside

[chickadoodles]

Hi all, I don't know what to do with my chicks. They are over a month old and fully feathered so we put them outside coop and run. However the only time they will go outside is when we are out there with them! When we come back in they run back in the coop! This has been going on for nearly a week! We keep trying to spend time with them outside to let them know it is ok. The pen is covered so that nothing can get them! I don't know what else to do....
And suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Ridgerunner]

What harm is being done? My suggestion is to not worry about it.

Sometimes chickens are afraid of something new. It often takes them a while to try new things. At some point one of them will figure out that it is OK for them to be outside when you are not around. The others will see it outside and join it. That might be today, it might be next week or even later. But it will happen.

Sometimes when I open the door from the grow-out coop to the run, the chicks are on the ground in just a few minutes. Sometimes it takes them a few days. But they eventually get there.

 

[ChickensRDinos]

x 2

Chickens are afraid of anything new and need time to adjust. Even small silly things like a new kind of bedding can cause a tizzy so a new home is a big deal to them. They will get used to it and start to explore more over time.

 

[chickadoodles]

Thank you Ridgerunner and ChickensRDinos, I appreciate your help and input. I was wondering if I had missed something... lol
We keep going out there trying to coax them out! I guess they will when they are ready!

 

[Ridgerunner]

It’s raining so I’ve got some time. Let me tell you a couple of stories about chickens getting over fear.

The first time I mowed around the run, the chickens panicked at that loud riding mower monster. It was loud and obviously going to eat them up. They ran into the coop as fast as they could go. But it only took a couple of times for them to figure out that when that loud scary mower went by the run, it blew little pieces of grass through the run fencing. It only took a couple of times mowing for them to start lining the run fence waiting for those bits of grass when they heard that mower.

A few summers back I harvested some sweet corn from my garden. In the process I gathered a small yogurt cup full of corn ear worms. I had a bunch or 10 week old chicks that had been free ranging for a couple of weeks. I dumped those caterpillars in front of them in a pile. Those chicks just stayed backed and looked at them for a while. Then a couple started very cautiously inching toward that pile. A worm wiggled! Run away!!! Run away!!! They didn’t go far and started inching back slowly and carefully. A worm wiggled! Run away!!! Run away!!!

This went on a few times but eventually one of the really brave ones pecked at a caterpillar. That’s all it took. That pile was gone in less than 30 seconds.

Get ready to enjoy your chicks. You’re going to have fun.

 

[binza1979]

Chickens are always sure that something new is out to get them...so give them time. They will get the hang of it!

 

[chickadoodles]

Ridgerunner Thank you for sharing your stories with me! I laughed and giggled till I had to read it to my DH who also enjoyed them! They are so entertaining and fun to watch! I do love them!

 

[chickadoodles]

binza1979, Thank you. When I tell them it's ok, they try to get under me! They are so cute!