Wet meat birds

[Grace Layne]

We got about 6 inches of rain last night and our 5 week old meat birds (are in a chicken tractor) were cold and wet for about 6 hours. It was about 55 degrees outside. We put some hay down for them to lay in and moved there 2 heat lamps lower. Is there anything else that you would recommend doing? Thanks!

 

[junebuggena]

Tarp your tractor to help shelter them from any more rain.

 

[staceyj]

And be careful with the heat lamps near hay its very flammable!

 

[Grace Layne]

Our tractor is covered by a tarp we have not figured out how they got so wet, they are completely sheltered on all sides. I think it was just the pure volume of rain we had. Thanks!

 

[Grace Layne]

And be careful with the heat lamps near hay its very flammable!

We are being careful with the lamps they are still about 3-4 feet up from the hay.

 

[staceyj]

We are being careful with the lamps they are still about 3-4 feet up from the hay.

Phew!

 

[junebuggena]

Our tractor is covered by a tarp we have not figured out how they got so wet, they are completely sheltered on all sides. I think it was just the pure volume of rain we had. Thanks!

Condensation? They do need some ventilation to let out all the moisture from their breathing and poo.

 

[FenwayFieldFarm]

I had a similar issue this past spring. A fox had dug under the pens and took 12+ chickens one night. The remaining chickens were freaked out the next morning and, during a cold rain, stayed out in the open section of the pen and got soaked - real soaked. I put two heat lamps (well secured) in each pen and within a few hours the birds were dried out and getting themselves back to normal. Fox was dealt with the next evening