The Middle Tennessee Thread

[mommywisey]

Need advice. I got some 6 week old chickens yesterday. Today it is raining. It is 45 degrees. My new chickens are not going in the coop where it is warm and dry, they are hiding under the mower and picnic table. Should I put them in the coop and shut them up for the day where they are dry - or just let them be? I am worried they will get sick.

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

If you just got them yesterday they may not know where home is yet. I know when mine are first introduced to a new coop I have to toss them in and lock the door before they "get it". When I moved the 4 week olds out they would huddle in the corner in the rain rather than follow the big chickens back into the coop. After a couple of days of tossing them inside they finally understood and now go in and out like champs.

That being said, a little rain is fine and they will be okay if they get wet. My silkies are currently cheerfully stomping around in the puddles and look like drowned rats. The 6 week olds are making short forays out into the rain and then back into the dry coop. The big chickens are all out foraging. Your little guys should be fine.

 

[mommywisey]

Quote:
In everything you read they say chickens are allright if they are dry and out of the wind (shelter wise) so them being all wet with the cold just made me wonder.

I can just picture your silkies - they must look like wet pom-poms! Got any pics?

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

I don't worry anymore about my big chickens. They are clever enough to get where they want. I do go out and help the babies when it gets like this. They just aren't right bright yet, if you know what I mean.

When they were about 4 weeks old (I had just moved them out so they had just finished feathering out), we got hit with a huge thunderstorm. It was thundering and lightning right over the house and just monsooning out there. I realized that the babies were standing in the middle of the runs peeping their fool heads off but making no effort to get in the coop. I of course went tearing out in the storm to rescue them. I was literally tossing (gently!) some of them into the dry coop. The poor babies were just soaked to the skin and very unhappy. It was too nasty to do much of anything other than get them in the coop and run back to the house. Once the storm abated I went back out. They had huddled up together and were toasty warm and mostly dry. They were mighty suspicious of the outdoors, but soon got over that! All in all everybody was fine. It didn't seem to hurt them and they eventually learned how to get in the coop. Today they are running back and forth into the puddles and back into the coop. Silly babies!

I'll try to get wet silkie pictures once it stops raining. They do just look pitiful.

 

[cpegram]

No I am not flooded thank goodness one good thing about living on a hill! I am just tired if the rain is all along with everyone else. I have to work the airshow this weekend. I will only be home to shower and sleep

. Should have a pretty good view of the blue angels though

but the weather will be nice maybe I can roll up my sleeves and get some rays during the show. Who am I kidding I will be dying of heat... Oh well hope everyones coops holds up!

 

[believer01]

Ok - all together now....

Rain, rain, go away, come again.....in AUGUST!

 

[cpegram]

Here are some of my fluffy butts I could not resist this pic

some of their heads aren't as poofy but otherwise fine :0)

ETA oh yeah there are 2 RSL DH had brought home from TSC

 

[believer01]

Okay, come on y'all!!! I need some help here -

rained all day long and I've been gone since 9am! There's water standing all over in the chicken pen so there was a 2nd source of water. I poked thru every single poo in the pen and there is nary a round worm to be found........I know what they look like ~ no one pooped any out today.

Now, is it normal for Wazine to take awhile to expel the wormies?

Should I leave the wazine in the water tomorrow for the 2nd day? I surely don't want to hurt my girls with too much chemical dewormer, but I really don't want to give too little to help, either!

 

[HBuehler]

I have never seen a worm come out after Wazine and actually cut open a dead less than one a week after being wormed with it and found alive round worms.
OK Rain rain go away come back in August!! I'm all for August rain

 

[mommywisey]

Quote:
Thanks for sharing! They are so cute - I love the one on the right with the spiked hair!