why is my silkies not come out!!!

[jason180sx]

hi
i have my silkies 3 weeks
and they are not going into the run why is this i put in the run and it just ran back in
why is this?

 

[Judy]

At that age they still need some added heat, so they could be staying in just for warmth. (I checked Ireland weather.) Right now they want it to be about 26C. They won't have enough feathers to keep themselves warm til 6 or 8 weeks. Sometimes they will stay in when young because they're afraid of anything new, too, and you just have to give them time.

You might want to check our learning center; lots of information for folks new to chickens.

 

[jason180sx]

Quote:
no they are not 3 weeks old
have got them 3 weeks ago

 

[Eggcessive]

I have 2 silkies in a mixed flock and they stay in the coop more than the other birds because they are small and less confident. You could move their food and water out into the run, and offer treats to coax them outside. Usually once they get a tast of the fresh air and new sights they come out more.

 

[ki4got]

what's the weather doing? if it's too cold or raining that might explain it. otherwise, try feeding them only in the run for a few days. or put them out and close the door so they can't rush back in. again feed/water them outside, and they'll get the idea.

i can't keep mine in if it's even remotely light outside, regardless of the weather. if i'm even a little bit late openning their door they are quite willing to remind me LOL. but then again, i don't keep food/water in the coop, just water in the run, and i feed outside the run. i free range them so basically food is just a snack a couple times a day to do a head count.

 

[Judy]

Quote:
In that case, they probably just aren't really adjusted to their new home yet, as others said. If there's anything around that might be frightening to them, this could be part of the problem -- maybe an eagle or hawk in the area, a dog nearby, noisy machines, etc. They should adjust in time. I'd also try treats.