[orionsquare]

My ex-batts have become very red in the face recently after sitting in the sun for hours. This is especially so with the baldest one. Don't get me wrong, part of their run is shaded by a tree and they also have their hutch to retreat into and yet they choose to sit in the sun I was wondering to myself if they actually suffer from sunburns ... do they?? 

Has anyone encountered this before? If so, shoudl I put sunscreen on their little heads? 

Any comments from experienced persons would be greatly appreciated.

[storme37]

lets put some factor 30 on daisys head lol

[hillfooter]

Well their combs can suffer from frostbite though I've never heard that they suffer from sunburn and I can't see that they would.

Maybe a parasol might be more in keeping

HF

[orionsquare]

I have added extra shade by pinning a large white towel to the side of the run to shield them from the morning sun. They continue to stand in the sunny areas and not choose to hide in the shade. I guess the sun does not bother them too much.

Hopefully the redness is because they are returning back to health nicely and not because of sunburn.  :happy:

[New shoot]

Some of my chickens love sunbathing, some like to rest in the shade, but not noticed any sunburn.  I've got a army camouflage net I put on the side of my big run in the summer.  Not expensive to buy and gives a dappled shade  

I'm still laughing at the picture I have of you trying to rub sunblock onto your girls faces    Yours are obviously sun junkies, but lovely to think they have the option now rather than being stuck in a barn somewhere in a tiny cage  

[Lindeggs]

Interesting question.  Even in NZ where fair-skinned humans get burned to a crisp, I'm not aware of any sun-burned chickens.  People do apply sun screen to white cats and dogs and even get their ears and noses tattooed so the pigment protects their skin.  I've never heard of sunscreen for chickens though.

Maybe tiny bonnets would be nice - tied with wee ribbons under their chins.