Scared baby chicks?

[DaniellaDear]

My chicks are almost two months old now, and are out in the coop. I let them in the run during the day. Every night around 7:30 before I put them in to sleep they start cheeping like they're scared. They won't eat (tried checking if they're hungry and have full crops) and it's not cold (around 77 degrees). Why do they act so frightened every night?

 

[WildCochinReba]

My chicks are almost two months old now, and are out in the coop. I let them in the run during the day. Every night around 7:30 before I put them in to sleep they start cheeping like they're scared. They won't eat (tried checking if they're hungry and have full crops) and it's not cold (around 77 degrees). Why do they act so frightened every night?

Mines did that too. They're probably scared of the new environment, it should take a few days for them to settle and realize this is my new safe home. My advice, I would let them chirp it out until they understand.

 

[Pork Pie]

If they have not been in the coop too long, possibly they don't yet associate it as a place of refuge and security.

 

[azygous]

CT has an important point. Remember, to chicks, the outside of a coop looks a lot different from when they're inside of it, therefore it is something strange and scary and to be avoided.

If you put a little light inside the coop and get inside and lure them in with treats, this will break the ice and help familiarize the chicks to their new home.

And don't confuse the nightly trilling chicks make as they gather to settle in for sleep with frightened chirping. Since I can't hear your chicks I have no way to tell if this is what they're doing or if they really are signalling distress, but when you hear the soft trilling, they're getting in the "mood" for sleep and can be easily coaxed into the coop at that point.