I have a chicken coop that is under a very big pecan tree, provides lots of shade. There is also an attached run that is also under the same shade tree. I have water & food inside and outside the coop and a small kids pool. I have a very large yard that is mostly open to the sky (no shade), I do have other trees but they don't provide a lot of shade either.
I have six 16 week old pullets, three 12 week old pullets and 2 ducks. Right now I have them free ranging in my yard and they are doing fine (as far as I can tell). They spend most of their time under the boat we have, which isn't a lot of space and doesn't give a lot of shade. I've put water out there but the ducks muck it up fast and the water turns hot quickly. At night they are fine together (ducks have their own hut) and no fighting.
Here is the problem: during the day when they all hang out close together, the littler ones get chased and picked on by the bigger ones but with lots of room they get away without injury. But I've noticed over the last couple of days that they are all getting very hot, panting hard, very red in the face and wings drooping. I'm afraid that they are not getting enough water and getting too hot under the boat. The run is a lot smaller (compared to the yard) but not too small were they are all bunched together however not so big that the littler ones go unnoticed either. I can't increase the run size. I'm just very nervous that I will find a bunch of dead heat exhausted birds under the boat.
Should I lock them in the run area for their own safety? Will they go and get water on their own, even if it far away?
I have six 16 week old pullets, three 12 week old pullets and 2 ducks. Right now I have them free ranging in my yard and they are doing fine (as far as I can tell). They spend most of their time under the boat we have, which isn't a lot of space and doesn't give a lot of shade. I've put water out there but the ducks muck it up fast and the water turns hot quickly. At night they are fine together (ducks have their own hut) and no fighting.
Here is the problem: during the day when they all hang out close together, the littler ones get chased and picked on by the bigger ones but with lots of room they get away without injury. But I've noticed over the last couple of days that they are all getting very hot, panting hard, very red in the face and wings drooping. I'm afraid that they are not getting enough water and getting too hot under the boat. The run is a lot smaller (compared to the yard) but not too small were they are all bunched together however not so big that the littler ones go unnoticed either. I can't increase the run size. I'm just very nervous that I will find a bunch of dead heat exhausted birds under the boat.
Should I lock them in the run area for their own safety? Will they go and get water on their own, even if it far away?