7 Week Old Barred Rock Panting?

[analyticalblonde]

Hi All,

I just moved my girls out to their coop yesterday from being in our basement since they arrived on March 27th.

Today, when checking on them this morning I noticed that one of my 2 Barred Rock pullets was panting.

The weather is wonderful but they have all been in our basement since arriving to our home in late March.

Plenty of food and water for everyone...Could it just be nerves with the whole new situation?

We set up the brooder heater in the coop to be on at night because the temps can drop to the 50s or upper 40s but the days are now about 65-75 degrees during the day. Could get to 80 this week but then drops again.

I opened the coop door today so they could peek outside to their new, secured run but they don't feel like coming out just yet...that's OK with me because they associate their coop as a safe place.

They are a bit confused and leery about the whole move and I will be closing their coop door tonight when the Sun goes down and repeat the open access tomorrow to their closed run.

Just wondering if the Barred Rock is panting because she is stressed with the whole move outside (from the inside to a new coop outside from a cardboard box brooder down in our basement)?

 

[sourland]

As long as the coop is not overly warm, and the others are not panting, stress may be causing her to pant. If she is eating and drinking, I would just keep an eye on her. It will take them a while to adjust to their new home. Chickens hate change.

 

[aart]

At 7 weeks they should not need any heat.
Make sure they can get away from it....or remove it altogether.

 

[Henriettamom919]

At 7 weeks they should not need any heat.
Make sure they can get away from it....or remove it altogether.

I agree! With my littles I've noticed that seemingly overnight they were avoiding their headlamp even still in their brooder! All my older laying girls have started laying early in the morning because even in the seventies, come midday, that coop is TOASTY inside. I actually had to set up a little desk fan last weekend because it was just roasting in there.

I'm sure it's stress combined with all that cozy bedding and rising temps but make sure she's drinking plenty of water, mine won't remember to go drink when preoccupied but will down extra dishes of water when I offer them throughout the yard.