How active are your pullets?

[ladyhand]

My 13 week old pullets seem to spend a lot of their day laying around. They have a very large enclosed backyard full of different plants and flower beds for them to scratch for good stuff in. They seem very active in the morning and in the evenings but not so much the middle of the day. Is it the heat, are they just lazy, do I need to be doing something to keep them engaged?

 

[PippinTheChicken]

All chickens will get lazy when it's hot, especially younger ones. In the summer, I put dog bowls of water all over the garden so they stay hydrated.
Make sure they have lots of shade and water and maybe some cold treats too.
Here is my recipie for chicken slushies! https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/easy-chicken-slushie-recipe.76812/

 

[ladyhand]

Make sure they have lots of shade

They have tons and tons of shade and rarely leave it. They spend the majority of their time hiding among the tall plants in the garden, or under my deck. We have so many trees that some portion of our backyard is always shaded.

 

[3KillerBs]

That is absolutely normal for chickens in the Steamy Southeast in the summer. They find a shady spot and dig in to rest in the heat of the day.

In fact, I deliberately refrain from doing anything in their pen -- even giving them fresh feed or water -- during the middle of the day so that I don't disturb them from their cool areas. I collect eggs, but very softly and quietly.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Heat is tough on them, anything over 85F or so and my flock pretty much stops moving and lies down in the shade.

Younger birds usually are peppier but even they'll give up when it's too hot to be moving around.

 

[3KillerBs]

Heat is tough on them, anything over 85F or so and my flock pretty much stops moving and lies down in the shade.

Younger birds usually are peppier but even they'll give up when it's too hot to be moving around.

85 is a cool day in a central NC summer.

 

[ladyhand]

85 is a cool day in a central NC summer.

Preach

 

[rosemarythyme]

85 is a cool day in a central NC summer.

Meanwhile my birds are panting and clustering in the shade, and I'm running out there with water 2-3x a day to try and keep them cool.

 

[3KillerBs]

Meanwhile my birds are panting and clustering in the shade, and I'm running out there with water 2-3x a day to try and keep them cool.

*nods*

Acclimation is critical.