Chicken neewbie!

It'll take a few days for them to settle down and get used to their new surroundings. Once they are a little more confident they will start to explore.

I would possibly look at getting a third chicken mind, the general advice is that 3 is the minimum number  to keep, this cuts down on the bullying etc. Remember they are a flocking creature. Some places including our local poultry center refuse to sell less than 3 birds when starting out.

I would possibly look at getting a third chicken mind, the general advice is that 3 is the minimum number  to keep, this cuts down on the bullying etc. Remember they are a flocking creature. Some places including our local poultry center refuse to sell less than 3 birds when starting out.

Wow, I didn't know that Kenilworth. I've got 2 black rocks (had them for about 3 years) and never had any problems... in fact, I don't even think there's a 'boss' chicken!

Maybe I've just been very lucky! 

I'd just add a word about the house from something you said about their knowing the house is where their food and drink was.

1   A house is NOT where a chicken lives.  We LIVE in houses but your chickens should spend all the hours of daylight foraging in their run and only return to the house to roost and lay if thet's where their nestboxes are.  This is why the run is every bit as important, if not more so, than the house, yet most newbie keepers focus entirely on the house and don't think about the run.
2   A house needs to provide a safe secure roost with perching space.  Vermin and preditor proof.  Dark and draft free but with ventilation, but no windows.
3  A run needs to provide a scrathing area freash grass preferably room to forage, create their dust baths and is where their food and water should be kept protected against the weather.  The run needs to provide shade and shelter from the weather for the birds and enough distractions to keep them active.

Get these priorities right and your birds should be well adjusted, bright and active.  So first I'd say if their food & water is in the house move it out and they'll soon be pecking about in their run.

Best wishes
HF

Thank you all for your input..
I have a couple of questions to ask....and any advise would be fab

I have 2 nesting boxes in my coop,over the last few days 1 of them is being used as a toilet? is this normal?
Also I was told to leave the food inside the coop? any views on this?

Thanks

im a chicken neewbie too lol fun init 
ive got 4 in the shed that all love to squash eachother in the same bed and seem to pooh init and then a coop with 4 younger chicks that dont even sleep in there beds. ive watched the bigger lot stand, pooh then sit back down lol neither of them seem to sleep on there perches.
hope you having as much fun as me lol

learning lots everyday x so are they not suppose to sleep in the strawed area??? is that just for laying eggs?
None of my chickens are laying yet, the 4 bigger ones in the shed that all squash in together are about 14 weeks now so in theroy should i just remove all the nesting boxes?
the chicks are about 6 weeks give or take a week and they just huddle anywhere on the sawdust?
thanks for the info

im a chicken neewbie too lol fun init 
ive got 4 in the shed that all love to squash eachother in the same bed and seem to pooh init and then a coop with 4 younger chicks that dont even sleep in there beds. ive watched the bigger lot stand, pooh then sit back down lol neither of them seem to sleep on there perches.
hope you having as much fun as me lol

It is a lot of fun...every day i learn something new, this site is most helpful too, loads of great tips and advise! Its now day 5 of this new adventure and im thinking we need an extra run, so off to have a go at building one....here goes nothing...haha