4 WEEK OLDS AND RAIN???

[artfrae]

We just expanded their brooder to become a little coop and run. It will be their temporary home until we expand our other coop/run. Question is that there is a 30% chance of rain tomorrow early morning, and I just want to know if my chicks will be okay if they get a little wet.

I've been trying to get them in the coop, but they enjoy their run so much. Right now they are just laying out in it while they get ready for bed.

To be honest, if it rains, it probably won't be much. Even then, the temp is supposed to be between 75-80 between 6 am- 9 am, so they shouldn't be "freezing".

 

[foreverlearning]

Mine were fine at 3 weeks and refused to let the rain stop them. Make sure they have access to heat as they will loose body heat when wet. I left the brooder light on in the coop and they would run under it to warm up and dry off, then back into the rain it was for them.

 

[artfrae]

Great! That's very reassuring.

Its funny though, because we put in a ramp for them to walk up into their makeshift coop, but they haven't discovered how to use it yet!

 

[foreverlearning]

Sprinkle their favorite treat up it and into the coop. I used meal worms for my laying flock and corn for my broilers. They learn quickly.

 

[artfrae]

first off, i need to get them some treats...but I did sprinkle their feed down the ladder, but they focused on the feed that hit the ground and not the ladder.

 

[foreverlearning]

You could try sprinkling scrambled eggs. I tried it with my extra eggs on a set of broilers before, they go nuts for it. Also, they seem to love american cheese. I haven't tried any other kind but would think it was the same. I used to buy treats for my girls when they were young, but now they just get table scraps. Okra, rice, cheese, scrambled eggs, and grapes (cut in half to prevent choking) seem to be their favorite now.