Heavy rains + SUPER energetic chickens + Small coop PLZ HELP!

[kittykittykitty]

I have my 4 balls of energy locked up in their coop and it's pouring outside! Their run is flooded and they can't get any exercise!!! They have never been in rain before! And they're scared when the rain hits the roof of the coop.

WHAT DO I DO????

 

[kittykittykitty]

ANYONE???????????????

 

[Illia]

Let them out?



It rains a LOT here, more than most any other place in the US, but I never lock my girls up. Some don't mind the rain, they ALL hate being locked up, even in a run.

 

[Wynette]

Quote:
Ditto. You can put down some wooden pallets if it's that muddy or you have water standing in your run.

[sidebar: bumping posts is against the rules....please don't do that again.]

 

[cobrien]

don't panic!

they will get used to the sound of the rain on the roof. mine were also scared at first. it didn't take long.

most people let their chickens choose whether or not they want to get wet. most chickens choose to get wet when it's raining as they love to be outside. it is fine as long as it is not too cold. if they are young and/or you want to spoil them you could give them a small heat lamp in the coop just in case. i would not let young ones go to roost on a coldish night if wet - I'd do something to dry them off or give them heat but I'm a bit on the cautious / chicken spoiling side.

for the run - not sure where you live but if not in the desert then you will likely continue to have problems with the run getting wet and mucky. it will start to stink when it gets wet and if really mucky the chickies will get mucky. can you cover the run with a tarp or preferably something more permanent like old metal roofing? having a covered run, at least a portion of it is a beautiful thing. I have a covered run with sand on the bottom and it stays dry and is very easy to keep clean.

 

[ontimeborzoi]

You did not mention how old the chickens are...in my experience very young chicks not raised by a hen *are* sometimes afraid of rain at first. You could try giving them something fun to do inside their coop. A suet feeder full of leafy greens is fun, a flock block, a tangle of branches to hop around on...you could toss some bird food or even chick food onto the floor for them to scratch and peck.
You could open the coop door and give them an opportunity to go out....if they are fully feathered you might be surprised at how little the rain will bother them. You could put a tarp over part of their run so they have a rain free area, and perhaps could put down straw or hay or pallets if the run is really flooded.
Just some ideas....

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

chickens like the rain!
If you have to keep them couped up though, cut back on any high energy feed you give, it makes it worse.
Rain doesn't bother mine at all, they would rather be out in it, flapping around, than staying cooped up, they never go back inside until they have to at night either, if it rains hard, they do seek shelter, then back out as soon as it lets up...the only problem might be if your chickens have feathered legs then they are bound to get dirty, don't have them myself
ps
some experts say it is good for the feathers too

 

[kittykittykitty]

Quote:
The chickens are 14 weeks old btw