My chicks don't want to go outside!!

[WIchickens]

So, I am new at raising chickens. But I think my chicks might be crazy. We have 5 chickens about 3 months old now. They spent the 1st two months in the garage while the coop was built and the backyard was under construction with a shed. Anyway, we moved them out and fenced the area under the coop off, about 4x4 foot area. The plan was to make it larger once the shed project was done. Well oddly enough the chicks have no interest to go outside!! It is safe and secure, and I have even put their feed down there to try and coax them out. Didn't work!! The ladder they are supposed to use seems fine. Any thoughts??

 

[risadawn]

Well, since I started raising chicks at the beginning of July, I have learned the meaning of "You're just chicken." My chicks scare at EVERYTHING! It's quite funny actually. Anyway, I'm thinking they've gotten comfortable in the coop and just haven't gotten the nerve to go out. Can you take them out and put them in the run and see how they do? I had to pull mine out of the brooder before they would come out on their own. But now they have no problem coming out if the door is open.

 

[chfite]

The chickens that I added to my flock stayed in the new coop and did not venture outside for a couple of days. After they got over that, they would not go back into the coop. The roosted on the porch to the entrance.

You might just wait and see.

Chris

 

[Mass Mike]

perhaps carrying them out into the run, closing off the coop, and "forcing" them into a little outside time might get them more comfortable. Maybe scatter some feed on the run floor to let them scratch around. In the meantime, I wouldn't worry. Chickens are nuts. Wonderful, but nuts.

 

[Dwkuska]

I actually had this same problem, i posted it under behavior though. What fixed it for us is my wife crawled into our coop(its 4'x8'x4') and put the chickens in the run. that night she put them back inside. next day after a few hours they figured it out and went out on their own. To make it more solid in their lil brains we moved the food and water to the bottom of the ramp. Good luck to you friend!

 

[BGinVA]

I'm a new chicken mom myself, but what I've learned in 5 short weeks is that my chickens are creatures of habit. If I want them to do something new I have to show them one time. Sometimes just showing one of them is all it takes and the others follow. Good luck!