Chicken bald back

[furball]

Had an eglu last year in the garden but south facing and very hot. I have a large shady area down the side of the house that is the perfect size for eglu and run but it gets no direct sunlight it is on a slight slope and doesn't get waterlogged will the chooks be ok here.

[Jules.]

I've no idea, sorry. My girls are at the bottom of the garden, & when the winter comes they will have no sunshine at all there with the sun being so low. I will be interested to find out the answer to your question.

[Christian]

I would think they would be fine down the side of the house.

The only thing i would say is that mine love to sunbathe! They like nothing better than stretching their wings out and soaking up some rays!

 

Not really a problem in the winter! I know that some people on here have summer and winter 'areas' for their girls!

[Snowy]

I wouldn't have thought it will do them any harm. Mine will be in a shady area through the winter. But all creatures benefit from a few rays now and then - helps with vitamin D production, so if you can let them out occasionally to enjoy the sun it will be much appreciated! I plan to let mine out to sunbathe if the weather is ever suitable!

[Egluntyne]

Better in the shade than in full sun.

[furball]

Thankyou for all your replies' its just that i read somewhere that chooks need sunlight to lay. But then thought what about battery hens that are cooped up all the time. Has anyone noticed a drop in number of eggs when in shady area.

[Snowy]

It's more related to lack of daylight than sunlight. Most chooks kept in natural light conditions will slow down egg production at this time of year and over winter. Battery hens are kept in sheds with artificial light for 14 hours a day in order to keep them in lay. Mine definitely prefer their shady side of the garden to the area in full sun.

[furball]

Thankyou, now to convince DH although he is used to coming home to new additions, usually cats not chooks, I suppose a change is as good as a rest

[Egluntyne]

Thankyou, now to convince DH although he is used to coming home to new additions, usually cats not chooks, I suppose a change is as good as a rest

 

If he is anything like Him Indoors....he won't notice....especially if you do put them in a shady area!

[furball]

I wish

[lost-sheep]

chickens are naturally woodland creatures... ours is under a tree at one end and in the sun at the other... and when we let them free range they dust bath in the sunny bits under trees! honestly!

 

...any help? (probably not )

[Guest]

In the last house, we had the chickens in a shadey spot, as it was the only spot that was sheltered from the wind in the winter, and the only thing against it is, it really will get waterlogged unless you have incredibly good drainage in your ground. we had to move ours after they became mud-bound, with the poor chickens squelching about in mud up to their filly knickers after a stormy October evening. I recommend a sunnier spot if possible.