Chickens sleeping in

[Three Silkies]

Has anyone else experienced their hens sleeping in? My chickens used to be up at the break of dawn screaming loudly for their breakfast. Lately they sleep in, refusing to get up when I open the coop and sometimes not even coming down for breakfast. The other day they slept until midday. Right now it's 11am and they are only just waking up. The mama hen is about 3.5 years old and her daughters are 2.5 years old. They are silkies. Is this normal?

 

[austrolover1]

Maybe you should check them for a sickness.

 

[austrolover1]

What do you feed them?

 

[Three Silkies]

They seem pretty healthy. They eat crumble, shell grit, sunflower seeds, corn, spinach, grass and tomatoes. They also have an occasional mealworms treat and free range all day so whatever bugs they find too.

 

[Ro-Ro]

My girls have been doing the same thing. They come out to eat then go back into the coop. I was thinking it was due to the chilly weather we have been having. They seem happy and healthy. Towards the afternoon they do come out to eat and free range. I think it could be the weather. Mine are 5 and 6 months old.

 

[Three Silkies]

Hmmm. We are in the middle of summer here in Australia where it is very hot. Maybe it is just too hot to bother moving (I often feel the same way myself).

 

[aldarita]

If you gave them a thorough inspection and couldn't find anything wrong and they seem to be healthy, eating and drinking, they should be fine. I live in a place where summers are horrendously hot and my flock gets almost catatonic, they don't move very much, don't eat very much either. Your flock must like the temperature in their coop and want to stay there most of the time. Make sure they have cool water all the time because they need it to lower their body heat.

 

[austrolover1]

Hmmm. We are in the middle of summer here in Australia where it is very hot. Maybe it is just too hot to bother moving (I often feel the same way myself).

I know this has nothing to do with chickens, but I am just curious. How hot has it been lately in Australia?

 

[Three Silkies]

If you gave them a thorough inspection and couldn't find anything wrong and they seem to be healthy, eating and drinking, they should be fine. I live in a place where summers are horrendously hot and my flock gets almost catatonic, they don't move very much, don't eat very much either. Your flock must like the temperature in their coop and want to stay there most of the time. Make sure they have cool water all the time because they need it to lower their body heat.

Thank you, and to everyone for your ideas. The chicken carer is coming tomorrow (she comes to clean the coop and check the chickens), so she should be able to have a good look at them and provide advice.

 

[Three Silkies]

 ​I know this has nothing to do with chickens, but I am just curious. How hot has it been lately in Australia?

It has been mostly in the mid 30s this month. Last month was very hot with quite a few days over 40. It doesn't cool down much at night so it gets pretty unbearable. I live in Adelaide where we often experience heatwaves of days over 40 and it's pretty difficult to keep chickens alive. I put wet blankets on their run, make corn ice blocks, put frozen bottles of water in their drinker, and hose the hens down (when they let me). But on 44 degree days, everything dries within minutes. I have to leave work a couple of times a day to go and re-ice them. Luckily I live close to work.

That's Celsius by the way. Sorry, I don't know how to convert to Fahrenheit.