[RobinL]

Hi,

Just started out with a new coop and chickens.

We've just got 6 new chickens and had them shut in the coop yesterday as advised, but we have opened the bob hole today, a couple have either fallen out or been pushed out and returned in after a minute or so. But the rest are not venturing out.

They have some water and I have given some food inside but both food and water are in the run.

How long should it be before they all start venturing out and should I continue to feed inside to ensure they eat ?

Thanks

[SMD66]

they are always wary at first. Try putting the food and water in the run only for a couple of hours in the morning. that will tempt them out.  They will get used to it soon enough though 

[iwantanallotment]

I had the opposite prob when mine were new, they wouldn't go IN the coop 

What worked was having no food outside for them and placing it only in the coop one morning - sure enough they all filed in to eat (in their own time), and at dusk went in for the night. Never any probs since.

So I expect vice versa will work, as Samantha said - put the food out, have none in the coop and they'll give in to temptation soon enough and venture out