Open-mouth-breathing. Why do they want to go in warmer coop?

[mich17mak]

I've noticed one of my marans (9 weeks old) tends to breath with her mouth open when in her coop (not all the time, just sometimes). I assume she's just overheating even though she does it at night when temps are in 60s. Today temps are warmer than it has been, but only about high 70s and several chicks (9-10 weeks old) are breathing with their mouth open (mind you, their run/coop is in the shade with a full roof and trees surrounding the area). What I'm wondering is this...they have a nice enclosed run (roofed) and inside the run is their coop, which is ventilated with a window, but it is still much cooler for them to be in the run, plus the run has a sand bottom which is cool to the touch. Why won't the chicks stay out in the run when it's hot? They are open-mouth breathing only when they are in the coop, and they go in there during the day. I'm sure they may feel safer there, but are they too dumb to go out where it's cooler (breezy, cooler flooring, and still shaded with a full roof)? We are going away and I won't be able to check on them. I'm assuming they will be ok .. it's going to only get hotter in next few months. I didn't expect them to want to stay in the coop for part of the day. Is it quite normal and not a concern for them to want to rest in the coop during the day even though it makes them open-mouth-breath? They don't breath like that shortly after they come out of the coop. We get 90 degree weather here so maybe I'll have to close their coop door to force them to stay outside? Not sure. Thanks

 

[azygous]

Believe it or not, a chicken's small brain is entirely adequate to the job of making good judgements for its owner. They will move to a cooler spot if available.

Reasons for hanging out in the coop are #1 cover and safety, #2 being near their friends who are using a nest as laying can be a group social activity, #3 they may be avoiding a bully #4 they may be getting ready to use a nest box to lay an egg.

It would help to set up a fan to move the air around in the coop and have an exhaust near the ceiling to evacuate hot, stagnant air, and especially provide vents in the nest boxes to get a little air circulation while a hen is restricted to the nest.