should I force them out?

[faykokoWV]

I just added my 6 week old chicks to the adult flock. They have been in with the older chickens for a week. they refuse to leave the coop and go into the run! Should I force them to go out or should I just wait and let them go on their own?

 

[teach1rusl]

That's a lot of change for chicks...I'd let them settle in for a few days, since they need to recognize their new home. Then I would start taking them outside, even if they turn around and run back to "safety." Probably after taking them out a few days in a row, they would start to do it on their own...

 

[Knight Hawk Ranch]

They are only 6 weeks old?

I put mine in a nursery coop within my main flock coop until they are about 3 months old. This way they are big enough to get away from the big girls.

Chickens are brutal sometimes so at least when they are a bit bigger they can run faster to get away form dominant chickens.

Your chickies are just staying out of the way of the way of the adults.

 

[faykokoWV]

6 of the 15 came out today on their own, hopefully the others will follow soon. all of them are roosting with the big girls!

 

[CheerfulHeart2]

Hurray for progress! My Australorps stuck real close to "home" until they were all grown up.