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

[black maran]

Hi all,

I'm new here. New to keeping chickens but learning. Looking after the chickens and others for my employer who keeps buying new chickens and birds. As of now there are 16 x polish chickens, 9 x chickens, 6 x quail, 2 x pheasants and 1 x duck who happily gets along with the polish chickens. The quail and the pheasant have their own enclosure, but I will probably have to move them for the winter in a couple of months. Do I have to move the polish chickens as well or are they winter hardy? Please feel free to dispense any advice as I have looked after chickens before but not this many And they are planning to get more ducks very soon.

 

Thank you in advance.

[sparkysmum]

Hi black marans and welcome I'm afraid I dont know anything about Polands but have heard that they are not very tolerant of harsh conditions. Hopefully someone more knowledgeable will come along soon. What is your job? Sounds cool Best wishes Ax

[The Dogmother]

Pheasants are pretty hardy unless they're a fancy type, Quail aren't tolerant of bad weather, damp or cold, so make sue that their enclosure has a clear tarp over any sides which get bad weather/wind/rain.

 

Polish don't do well in the damp; their crests get wet and bedraggled, so they have trouble seeing. I would keep them in the run during the worst weather if possible.

[black maran]

Hi all, I work on a private estate on the near Tunbridge wells looking after the garden, chickens, driving etc. There are some stables and sheds I could put the quail and polish chickens in if the weather gets very bad. I think my employers are going to get more ducks today. They have been talking about getting decorative ducks but didn't say which breed. I have managed to keep the polish dry so far I put them in the coop during the heavy rain the other day.

 

Thank you.

[sparkysmum]

Sounds like a perfect job Ax

[Chortle Chook]

Yes sounds like a dream job I've got a few Polands (not as many as your employer) and have found that they bear the cold quite well (with a house at nightitme), but they can get quite bedraggled if they don't have somewhere they can find good shelter when it rains. I have a sort of 'bus shelter' thing next to the fence that keeps them dry when it rains. It is completely open on one side and they like to peer out (looking for the number 88 ). They happily go in there when it rains and stay totally dry, but for some reason will not go into their house during the day even when it poors so the shelter is necessary. They also need to have raised drinkers (I put a shallow saucer up on bricks) so that they don't bend down to drink and get their crests in the water.

 

This shows you the shelter in the snow

and here are my chickens taking shelter in it. It has perches across the corners

[Cat tails]

That shelter is a brilliant idea! And I might need to steal it...

[black maran]

I like the shelter its brilliant. They have now brought a rabbit (called bugs). I am planning on getting straw and hay and wood shavings in bulk. Can I use hay for the chickens to save on the straw? I will post some pics soon of their run.

 

Thank you.

[Daphne]

No, don't use hay for chickens, it can harbour spores causing aspillergosis. As has been said, polands are tough. They withstand the winters very well, but you must provide overhead shelter so they can escape the rain if they want to. It flattens the crest and exposes the crown of the bird, making it more vulnerable to pecking. However, my polands would routinely get absolutely soaked, despite having a sheltered run and a house to retreat to

[black maran]

Thank you, I will keep using straw and just use the hay for the rabbit. I will leave the polish where they are for the winter there is a cover over the coop and they spend most of their time under it especially when it rains. No eggs yet from the other chickens but did notice this morning some droppings with a yolk like substance in them.

[black maran]

Very sad found a dead polish chicken this morning. Looked like she was crushed in the night. I have noticed that even though there is plenty of space for them in their coop they seem to want to all sleep in the same spot. Any ideas?

There is good news though found the first quail egg this morning (white with blue specks).

[The Dogmother]

Sorry to hear that. All chickens scrunch up at night unless it's very hot.

[black maran]

Just found 2 more quail eggs (brown with blue flecks) that's 4 eggs in 2 weeks, could be worse. Drove employers to the llama park in east sussex today, luckily they couldn't buy one.

[mullethunter]

Sounds like your employers would like a zoo!

[black maran]

I think they would get one if they could, Telling them about facilities we don't have is a bit like sometimes. Going to clean the chickens out now.

[The Dogmother]

They need to see Sir Robert McAlpine's set up... it's a mad zoo!

[Chortle Chook]

I think they would get one if they could, Telling them about facilities we don't have is a bit like sometimes. Going to clean the chickens out now.

Oh dear poor black maran. I'm not sure I think your job is a dream job after all. Your employers sound totally irresponsible and I think that taking on animals and birds without the right facilities is pretty unforgivable in view of the suffering to the point of death that it results in for the creatures in question. Thank goodness the RSPCA can now prosecute for this.

 

By the way, Aubiose is excellent for chickens as well as being good for horses and I feel pretty sure also for rabbits (other than in their little bedding compartment where you'd still need hay). It makes poo picking a doddle.

[black maran]

Found first chicken egg this morning, it was huge