So to move away from.the not cheerful thread and my chicken massacre I thought I’d start a new topic!
We have our 2 new hens. It’s the first time I’ve ever bought hens and I’m a bit confused about their behaviour. They seem scared of outside and are staying in or at the most in the plastic old TV box where they have a dust bath. Is this normal? How long until they start being ‘normal’? 
It takes ours about 4-7 days to go out, they probably have been enclosed for some time so have to get used to their new big bad world.
That sounds normal to me. They like to be able to shelter under things so if you could prop up a bit of wood, metal or plastic that’s big enough they’d probably feel safe and happy under there.
It definitely takes time. When there’s other established chickens they copy but on their own they’re very wary of everything.
In three months they’ll be eating your garden …
But make sure it is securely propped up. 
Completely normal especially if (as it is here) it’s blustery and dreich. In a couple of days they’ll be fine but in the mean time entice them out with food so they get used to you too 
mine have an old sun lounger they like to go under, climb on etc. It obviously makes their run look incredibly unsmart but who cares, the hens love it.
It won’t be long before they are happy hens.
There is the one poor traumatised hen that survived the massacre but she is a bit funny still bless her.
Good idea, I think I’ll go and try that, the Azur (Millie) has been spotted at the food area once but not Mathilda.
Awww 
what is your white girl? Leghorn?
Here are my 3 when I opened the coop yesterday
vero… excellent reminder of home…dreich weather…lol… Its been a while in hearing the word ‘dreich’
Made me smile and think of Scotland… Thank you… 
New chicks soon settle after a few days. I remember asking my farmer friend about chickens and he said after a few days, ye can let them out and they come back on their own… he told me after a few days
‘‘they will know where they live’’
I had an old otterman that I made a little access door in, for them to hide and feel safe under.
I also built a couple of solid wooden poles for them to perch on… They soon know whats what… My chickens would peck on window for me to throw stuff out for them… There smarter than they look… lol
They settle quicker than you might think.
I now have a smile on my face remembering mine… 
Oh - if you feel like a giggle, this never fails.
Ideally, this needs to be done on a raised patio with 2 or 3 steps down into the garden.
Arm yourself with some strands of cooked spaghetti.
Stand on the patio bit. The chickens will soon cluster round, hoping for food. Twizzle one stand of spaghetti around to attract their interest, then flick it (elastic band style) towards the lawn. The hens will take off like jet fighters with afterburners engaged and run for the prize. The best bit is as they ‘fly’ down the steps.
If you don’t have patio plus steps, it’s at least 90% as much fun on a flat bit of ground.
To be fair, make sure that all the hens get equal rewards…
We have put six fertilised eggs under our broody hen instead of borrowing the Sussex cockerel.
Yes, that’s Federica so sweet all of them. This is their Palazzo, my children’s erstwhile Wendy house looks a bit Colditz alas.
I read the title of this thread, and my first thought was that is was about curries. Wrong spelling of chaat.
Delicious I love bhel puri chaat
They are gorgeous and funny and smart! Our first 3 we got at 5 weeks (hand reared) and they were SO tame. Clementine used to jump with joy when DH went out digging up our knotweed and spent hours at his ankles grabbing any worms 
he had to take care where the fork went in!
