Are my silkies bright enough to leave the coop when hot/move to shade when outside?!

[905silkies]

New chickens owner here (Southern Ontario). I’ve got 3 silkies and a frizzle. At 4 months old we moved them outside to their brand new coop; it’s been a week and they’ve been yet to venture down their little ramp to the outdoors on their own.

I try to lure them out by putting treats on the ramp, but they stay inside. One will perch on the edge of their chicken door, quite content to just stare outside.

I manually remove them in the morning and put them outside with food & water. Their run is covered with netting, so they’re relatively safe to roam a fairly large enclosed area. When they’re out there they do now seem to enjoy scratching & pecking and sunbathing.

They WILL climb up the ramp and go back inside and I’ve found them in there panting (since it’s getting hot here - 24C today).

I’ve been coming home on my lunch to make sure they haven’t gone in and are roasting. I got home today & found them in a huddle in the sun. Relaxed but panting?

Moved them to a shady spot and put their water bowl close & they immediately lapped up so much.

Are they smart enough to seek shade/water or am I totally insane!?

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

they're very cute. I have no advice but hello also in Southern Ontario!

 

[905silkies]

they're very cute. I have no advice but hello also in Southern Ontario!

Hey there, and thanks! Nice to meet a fellow southern ON resident on here!

 

[Opiumbrella]

New chickens owner here (Southern Ontario). I’ve got 3 silkies and a frizzle. At 4 months old we moved them outside to their brand new coop; it’s been a week and they’ve been yet to venture down their little ramp to the outdoors on their own.

I try to lure them out by putting treats on the ramp, but they stay inside. One will perch on the edge of their chicken door, quite content to just stare outside.

I manually remove them in the morning and put them outside with food & water. Their run is covered with netting, so they’re relatively safe to roam a fairly large enclosed area. When they’re out there they do now seem to enjoy scratching & pecking and sunbathing.

They WILL climb up the ramp and go back inside and I’ve found them in there panting (since it’s getting hot here - 24C today).

I’ve been coming home on my lunch to make sure they haven’t gone in and are roasting. I got home today & found them in a huddle in the sun. Relaxed but panting?

Moved them to a shady spot and put their water bowl close & they immediately lapped up so much.

Are they smart enough to seek shade/water or am I totally insane!?

They should be yes. Sunbathing is a favorite of chickens. You come out sometimes and they are stretched on their side and you worry they are dead or hurt, but they are just sunbathing . I would assume that is what they were doing. If they will go up, but not down the ramp, I would make it less of an incline. That may be why they don’t want to go down it.

 

[905silkies]

They should be yes. Sunbathing is a favorite of chickens. You come out sometimes and they are stretched on their side and you worry they are dead or hurt, but they are just sunbathing . I would assume that is what they were doing. If they will go up, but not down the ramp, I would make it less of an incline. That may be why they don’t want to go down it.

Yes, they were for sure sunbathing and not looking distressed… except for the panting. The flattened out, spread wing look has startled me a few times I guess they do pant like dogs? I’m going to try not to worry and maybe set out an extra water bowl or two. They have tons of access to shade/cool dirt.

 

[Opiumbrella]

Yes, they were for sure sunbathing and not looking distressed… except for the panting. The flattened out, spread wing look has startled me a few times I guess they do pant like dogs? I’m going to try not to worry and maybe set out an extra water bowl or two. They have tons of access to shade/cool dirt.

Not a bad idea. My flock has like 10 waterers. I put one near all their fav dusting/sunning spots, one in their fave shade bush, and the like lol.

 

[3KillerBs]

They *ought* to be smart enough to seek a comfortable space but chickens can be weird.

If your coop gets hot inside you need to add more ventilation until it's no longer hotter inside than out. The usual guideline of 1 square foot per adult, standard size hen is just a starting point. I'm in a hot climate and find that I need at least 2-3 times that for most of my structures.

This is the sort of airflow you need to create:

 

[905silkies]

Not a bad idea. My flock has like 10 waterers. I put one near all their fav dusting/sunning spots, one in their fave shade bush, and the like lol.

 

[905silkies]

Not a bad idea. My flock has like 10 waterers. I put one near all their fav dusting/sunning spots, one in their fave shade bush, and the like lol.

I added several more today! Great idea. They’ve found a cool spot under the coop and are digging little beds in the soil - I think they’re ‘getting it’

 

[905silkies]

They *ought* to be smart enough to seek a comfortable space but chickens can be weird.

If your coop gets hot inside you need to add more ventilation until it's no longer hotter inside than out. The usual guideline of 1 square foot per adult, standard size hen is just a starting point. I'm in a hot climate and find that I need at least 2-3 times that for most of my structures.

This is the sort of airflow you need to create:
View attachment 3102019

Very good to know, thank you. Ventilation has been one of the things I’ve been most uncertain about.