[chrismahon]

Generally chickens are outdoor creatures Chrisnut. They will only return to the coop to lay in daylight hours. So they need an outdoor shelter which is created either by the coop being raised off the floor so they can shelter under it (makes a good soil bath area) or they need shelter in the run. We have some mobile shelters for the exterior areas but all the runs are covered anyway. I know how they feel, as I would rather get wet outside than sit indoors.

[Chrisnut]

thx chrismahon.... the coop is raised off the ground by about 600mm/ 2 feet and is an area of at least 6 feet square they do shelter under there ..the food is also hung in a small shelter but the rest is open ... i may have to look at additional shelter.

[HesterF]

Mine'll go back in their house rather than get too wet. I've got one lot that have a field shelter on a pallet with their food in and they'd rather go back in their house than shelter there. The only lot that consistently take shelter elsewhere is the group that has access to the goose shed which is obviously very appealing to them as they spend most of their time in there at the moment.

H