Hi CutePinCushion,
There’s several reasons why they might not have dared. Those plastic crates have quite a strong plasticky smell when they are new, and that might have put them off. But I think probably the main reason they weren’t keen is they aren’t always good with new things. Especially large things. They are used to how you fed them before, out in the open, so this is quite a big change. It’s enclosed, for a start, although I appreciate you made the entrance as large as possible, but it’s not what they are used to. But they don’t tend to trust new things until they have been there for a while. When I built them a new house it was usually a week or ten days before I saw them using it.
I would leave the feeding station as is for a few days and see if they adapt to it. It’s good that they were near it and drinking from the bowls at the sides, shows they aren’t totally freaked out. I suspect they are just wary because it is new and different. Hopefully next time they will venture a bit further, and a bit more, and so on. But some hogs just cannot bear to be enclosed, and if they refuse to use it, there are other options you can try. I remember Nic once suggested a sheet of perspex or similar, resting on four upturned flowerpots. Where that’s open on all sides, even the wary hogs will usually be ok. Good luck and keep us posted.
