farley01 Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 hi, i am a complete novice, so please bear with me, our family have recently purchase three pekin bantams, my husband has built them a lovley coop and run. We have had them for approx a week now and apart from a couple of times they have hardly been out in thier run, i have made sure they are protected from the wind and rain, and that they are in good health, but they still decided to stay in thier coop. I am now getting a little concerned. please could anyone advise me of what i may be doing wrong!!! thank you for your time and patience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 Hi Farley Welcome to the forum I do like Pekin bantams, they have so much character so are a good choice as a pet It seems strange that they spend so much time in their coop but unless they look visibly unwell (eyes closed, hunched up, fluffed up) I wouldnt worry too much - it could just be that they were raised indoors Try covering the run with a tarpaulin to make it feel a little more enclosed (just the top not all the way around) if the run is in a windy spot a windbreak down the most exposed side would be a good idea I am presuming you feed and water them in the coop if they have hardly been outdoors, you could try putting the feeders out in the run to see if this will encourage them out Apart from that i dare say they will come out when they are good and ready Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 I agree with all that Redwing has posted. I once bought a young bird, who preferred to stay indoors - she'd been barn raised. I just shut the housing door a few times and she soon discovered all the food and treats outside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jools Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 I re-homed a Light Sussex bantam a month or so ago as she was being mercilessly bullied in her original home and I've got some Silver Sussex bantams blah blah blah. Anyway, to cut a long story short, she used to hide in the house to avoid her bullies, so it had become her normal behaviour. She did this too when I moved her in with my Silver Sussex banties because it had become her habit, so I just encouraged her out each day, then shut her out so she couldn't go and hide again. After a couple of days, she got the hang of it and she's busy enjoying the fallen Rowan berries as I type. You don't want them missing this lovely autumn sunshine do you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen & co. Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 We have a completely bonkers pekin she is the most unfriendly of my girls, squarks at the top of her voice if you pick her up after she has roosted at night in a vain attempt to make her more friendly and spends a lot of her time on her own, not coming out of the eglu in the morning untill she is gently encouraged The funny thing is she is best friends with Falcon my biggest hen I guess that they are all different Karen x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chook n Boo Mum Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 My four babies in the Nursery all spend some time indoors and some time outdoors...sometimes on a perch in the run, sometimes on top of or behind the cardboard box in there..............they are all perfectly healthy & happy........not totally impressed with being hooked out of the run for a cuddle, but heyho, my DD & DS don't take no for an answer with them One day they might enjoy it Sha x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hazard Posted October 18, 2009 Share Posted October 18, 2009 i have 3 bantam hens that wouldnt come out when i first had them i was told that my pen which is 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 metres was to boring for them so i cut up a tree that had been cut down and made them a climbing from found an old roasting tin that i put sand and compost in as a dust bath got some parrot toys that i have hung around the pen now i cant get the chickens to go in i also added a cockreal and he loves the toys too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
