Why won't they go outside?

[cmferrante]

I have a couple birds that refuse to go outside. They have a pretty big run attached to the outside of the coop. These 2 just never go out. They prefer to be up on one of the roosting boards. Any thoughts? Should I force them outside during a few hours a day?

 

[TOP KNOT]

It is a possibility that they are being bullied by others or your rooster pays too much attention to them. So they stay on the roosts for safety. Just a thought. I had a few too many roos and I had a few hens that acted this way. I got the rooster population under control and they now mingle with the rest of the flock.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Are they younger than the others?

 

[cmferrante]

No all same age. Today I went in and tried to un-roost them. They just kept running around me and hopping back up.

 

[Rooster Don]

How long have you had them? We got our sussex hen and rooster 10 days ago, and a rhode island red, red sexlink, americauna and polish two days later. the RIR did like your chickens you describe. she would not come out of the house into the run with the others. but they all slept peacefully. after a few days she started coming out. i do know she was hen pecked by the sussex hen some. i guess they finally work it out. not sure what you do otherwise.