Do my chickens have cabin fever?

[MurrayCove]

I have 11 hens and one rooster. All are 12 weeks old. They have been in a secure chicken house for the past 6 weeks with heat lamps. In the past week, I have been letting them outside in their chicken run whenever the weather was good, but leaving them in when it would turn cold again or rain. They have been in for the past two days. They have been acting really freaky..ha! One expecially. she stands in a corner and pecks at the wall..and then tries to fly up the wall, bumps into it and falls down again. Then starts the whole proceedure over again. I moved her away from the wall a few times...but she would just go back to another corner and start again. Once I set her up on the roost...and as I was walking away, she flew up and lander on my head. Chickens are a trip!!!!! What do you all think. Is it chicken, cabin fever?

 

[tamelroy]

Maybe they are. What I do is put a tarp over their run so they can go out in the rain and snow.

 

[gritsar]

Chook cabin fever. Where are you located? How cold is so cold that they can't be outside for at least part of the day? You've let them have a taste of the good life - outside in the fresh air with lots of new things to see and peck at - and now they want more.

 

[cmom]

I don't know where you live but I agree. I covered my run and put a ladder in it. They love the ladder.
These are old pictures.

 

[MurrayCove]

Thanks all! Yep...believe you are right! Opened their door this morning...and out they all went , clucking and happy hens. I closed them out and took the opportunity to clean out the hen house and built a compoost area to dump it all. I have a tight net over the run area and am hoping this is good enough since they will all be in every night....and will keep them in during the day. The are RIR's and are also good flyers.

 

[MurrayCove]

i live in rural, western Arkansas...and you are right. It is not that cold here now...still some frost some nights, but mainly in the 50's diring the day. I will leave their door open during the day from now on and then even if it rains, they have the option of going back in if needed.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
That's where I live, SW Arkansas and very rural. Your chickens will be fine. If you haven't already done it, you might want to start weaning them off that light. They don't need it and given the chance to acclimate they'll be ready to face anything weather-wise.

 

[mstricer]

I'm in Ohio and my birds go out every chance they can. We had over a foot of snow on ground and they went out. If they are cold they will go in, Its been raining off and on for 3 days and they are still out there. I dont have a covered run or anything I just open pop door and as soon as there is a hint of light they start wandering out. But then again mine are kinda crazy. Here is a pic of them in the snow with their chickie tracks.

 

[MurrayCove]

I love your picture of the chickens on their trail in the snow. It is a fantastic picture! Love it!

 

[Iceegg]

Love that picture of your chickens walking in the snow.