For the past 6 years I've kept 2 to 4 bantams in my backyard as pets. I currently have 2 that I've had for quite some time. Around Christmas, for reasons unknown, they both became very fearful and have been that way ever since. They never come out of their coop unless I make them and they run right back in when I leave. Does anyone have any thoughts on what might be causing this?
They probably had some kind of frightful experience. Most likely a predator (like a hawk, fox or dog or something else) tried to get them and they are still scared from that experience. If that's the case, they will most likely overcome their fear with time and start to come out again on their own. If it's something else ... I'm stumped!
I would agree that it sounds like they were frightened by something. Do you only have these two chickens now, or are there others? If you have others and these are older ones, there may have been a recent change in the pecking order and they may have lost status.