they keep running back inside and its 83+ degrees out... they keep going INSIDE to their coop and sitting there; its hotter than blazes in there... I can put a door to the chicken door to block it..but is it strange theyd rather be in there than out???
Quote:How old are they? If young, some birds tend to feel safer inside. I also might suggest you look up, you might find a hawk or other bird of prey flying about or sitting somewhere eyeing them.
Is the run covered or shaded by something, or is it in direct sunlight?? I tend to think like scooter - maybe they're seeing something that looks dangerous to them...cat, sparrow, bumblebee ??? For the first two weeks after mine were out, they would run like mad if an airplane flew over, even if it was a mere speck in the sky...
haha..nothing on the top YET; its the next phase; starting monday... but the gnats are kinda bad ...but seriously...they are 11 wks.. 11 1/2 wks... and the coop run is new to them..I think since saturday... it is shaded by a tree; but right now it may be a li'l warm; its 92 out now...
When I introduce juveniles to the main coop, they tend to stay inside for the first wile (sometimes up to a month) before they are comfortable coming outside.
Funny, our 6wk old chicks won't come inside the coop any longer?! Two days in the run and they'd prefer to stay outside watching the world go by (which consists of the backside of a fence, some grassy areas that the robins and squirrels use). I'm having a devil of a time convincing them to COME IN! Chicks! Gotta love 'em all!
They may have seen something frightening or the gnats getting in their nostrils are bothering them. If it's just that they're frightened of the new run, you could sit in the run with them for a little while and give treats. I'd make sure to look for predators, first. Can you add more ventilation to the coop, so it isn't so hot in there? I like mine to be able to really open up when it's hot, so it isn't hotter in the coop than it is outside. That will help it cool off faster in the evenings, too. Plus, they won't be locked in a hot coop all night. It gives them more hours without heat stressing them, so they start the day feeling stronger.
