why are my birds so thick???!!!???

A while back when i first got me young pullets I had trouble for a week or
so getting the message through how to go up the drop down ladder into the
henhouse at night.

We dutifully went out each evening, grabbed each one and 'shoved' if up the
ramp into the hole leading to their perches. Eventually the penny seemed to
drop and all birds got the message - bar one whom we named 'thicko'. For
thicko it took about another 5 days or said shoving up ramp. Anyway for
about 3 months, they have been dutifully going up into the henhouse to lay
[in the nesting boxes] and to go to bed until about 2 weeks ago.

It was about 10pm and I was letting dog out for pee and noticed one of the
birds roaming around the garden. On closer inspection, there was a hole in
the chicken wire - aaah I thought, an escapee. When I put the said chuck
back inside the pen, I noticed 'thicko' sitting on top of hen house instead
of being tucked up with t'others.

Didn't think too much about it just put them both back in.

Well [exasperated now] every night since we have thicko out often
accompanied by 1-4 of the other birds. Tonight all five of em were out
there perched on top of hen house. I could have screamed.

I'm worried that if I leave them out, they will literally freeze to death,
it's minus figures at the moment. To be honest though I am sick to death of
having to keep getting all muddied/pooed up kneeling on ground putting back
up pop-hole.

What is wrong with these birds? It's freeeeezing and they sit out in the
elements instead of their lovely warm snug hen house.

Will thicko get so cold, she will eventually put herself to bed or will I
find a stiff chicken in the morning?

Comments and suggestions desperately required.

TIA

Jewelsx


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Relevant Pages

  • Re: why are my birds so thick???!!!???
    ... For thicko it took about another 5 days or said ... > the birds roaming around the garden. ... > of hen house instead of being tucked up with t'others. ... > death, it's minus figures at the moment. ...
    (sci.agriculture.poultry)
  • Re: why are my birds so thick???!!!???
    ... >> ramp into the hole leading to their perches. ... >> thicko it took about another 5 days or said shoving up ramp. ... >> accompanied by 1-4 of the other birds. ... >> there perched on top of hen house. ...
    (sci.agriculture.poultry)
  • Re: why are my birds so thick???!!!???
    ... > ramp into the hole leading to their perches. ... > drop and all birds got the message - bar one whom we named 'thicko'. ... > there perched on top of hen house. ...
    (sci.agriculture.poultry)
  • Re: why are my birds so thick???!!!???
    ... >> the birds roaming around the garden. ... >> of hen house instead of being tucked up with t'others. ... >> death, it's minus figures at the moment. ... Jewelsx ...
    (sci.agriculture.poultry)