new birds not leaving the henhouse

[sistazelda]

Hello!
I am new to this forum and chickens but it seems like the place to ask questions and get great answers!~ I have had a predator problem-coyotes and raccoons but we think we have solved that problem. So, we got seven new girls (20 week old gold stars). We have a raised henhouse with a pen underneath and a pen off to the side (all connected). The first few days some slept outside and a few went in the house at night but they all came out during the day. The past two days they have not really left the house to go down to the pens. They seem a bit jittery and I think they are just getting used to their new home. But I don't know if this is normal or okay. Any thoughts on why they may be doing this...could they have forgotten that the pen was below them?
Thanks for any chicken insight!

 

[teach1rusl]

from Indiana! I would think being new would be a big part of their hesitation. Of course, it wouldn't hurt to take them out during the day to "remind" them of the run area. Or you could sprinkle treats down their ladder leading them to the run area??? If your area is having very cold temps, that could also contribute. Mine stay inside a lot on really cold days. But I'd guess it's the newness of it....