I live in southeast Michigan and it's mid-April. Day temps are in the 60s now. I brought my Chicago Hardy out of the garage and there are buds at the top of the branches, but the have yet to leaf out. I've been putting it out in full sun for about a week and bringing it back in at night. Do I just need to be more patient? This is the second CH that I've had do this.

Yes, patience.  It may take another week or two.  If you haven't done it already, give the trees some water.

My potted Mt Etnas have buds that are just  barely starting to open -- that's after the last month in the garage where they probably never saw the south side of 45 F.  That's probably what makes these varieties so cold hardy -- they don't jump out of dormancy at the first hint of warmth.  Some other more tender varieties, like Smith and the LSUs, have small leaves all over.

My in-ground CH just broke dormancy yesterday. I'd unwrapped it two weeks ago. We hit close to 90 degrees in MD. On Monday it was just sticks; on Tuesday it was teaming with buds.
This was my first winter with it (or any fig tree) and am happy to report no die back :)

The buds on my in-ground Etna's are just starting to show signs of swelling. The potted from the garage are still fast asleep.

My temps are about the same as yours. They're probably waiting for a bit more heat and sunshine. I certainly am...

Thank you for the replies. I'll wait it out some more and hopefully the buds will start popping. This happened last year and I don't remember how long I waited, but my wife eventually made me pitch the tree because it apparently didn't make the winter.

<< my wife eventually made me pitch the tree because it apparently didn't make the winter. >>

Assuming that you kept the soil slightly moist so that the tree did not dry out, it should leaf out eventually.  Small branches on a dead tree will snap when bent.  So if the branches seem flexible, I wouldn't give up for a couple months.

You can scratch the bark.  If it's green underneath it's alive.  If any buds look healthy it's alive.  One of the reasons Chi Hardy is so resilient is that it waits a long time to break dormancy.  My in ground one usually comes to life in late May here in Z6.

You might want to try fertilizing it if it won't see temps under 40 any more.

I'm in southeast MI too, and some of my in ground trees didn't even die back so do not pitch this tree. The only way it is dead if you let the soil get bone dry. You have to water a couple times in the winter. My Chicago hardy is also still dormant. Many others are leafing out, a few are still sleeping.
I had 35 different types of fig trees in the garage., Every one survived.

Scratch the bark, if green underneath it's alive. If brown flush it down, oops wrong brown!

Thanks RCantor. What fertilizer do you recommend? I've seen recommendations for a balanced fertilizer, but that's all is mentioned. I always try to go with a specific brand recommendation. This is my second try on figs and therefore going into as a novice who doesn't know anything about fruit trees. Vegetables, I've got no problems there.

Thanks for the help.

Ask A hundred people what fertilizer they use, and you will get 100 different answers. I use Dynamite slow release with some organic once a month. I use Plant-Tone, Holly-Tone, Garden Tone, or Tomato-Tone, whatever I have handy. I usually buy the tones because I can get large amounts cheap.
It's working ok on these first year plants, from last year. Now they are all 2nd leaf!

Drew, your plants look, great.     You said some of your in ground trees didn't have any dieback.  Which ones made it?