Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[house-elf]

can anyone help ?

 

I'm not sure if what is happening is normal as it is my first winter for me and my girls.

 

Since the cold weather has started, my girls appear to stay in their coop all day. They are not roosting at night and seem to prefer sitting in the nest together. They don't seem to be eating much of their pellets and haven't eaten any corn for the last few weeks, though if I offer it at about 2pm, they quite happily guzzle it down ! I thought they might be going broody, matilda was laying eggs daily till the cold weather started and now has not laid for about 2 weeks (florrie hasn't laid since august !), but i feel that being broody is unlikely at this time of year and other than sitting in the nest all day they are not pulling their feather out etc.

 

Apart from that they appear healthy, but i am worried that they will freeze to death as they are not fleshy girls and if they are not eating much then their body weight will drop.

 

They live in a coop with attached run, but raqrely seem to come out - even when i open it up so they can free range, they just want to stay in their coop.

 

Any advice to a newbie please ?

 

Much apprieciated x

[Redwing]

If they seem happy enough then not much can be wrong

 

It might be worth rigging up a windbreak (shower curtain or tarp held on with bungees) on the exposed side/s of their run to make it more welcoming to them

 

If they arent laying they wont be eating a lot, try giving them some mixed corn or pellets mixed with warm water (chicken porridge) before bed to keep them warm overnight - if you get home when its dark open the door of the coop and slide a bowl in with a torch, mine love their night-time feasts!

[Egluntyne]

Good advice from Tasha.

 

Mine aren't venturing out much. Not even mealworms would temp them out today.

 

The Robin nicked them.

[Redwing]

 

Mine aren't venturing out much. Not even mealworms would temp them out today.

 

The Robin nicked them.

 

maybe they will be quicker next time then!