[Kazoo]

Hi All, I got my first hens two weeks ago - three Black Rocks now aged 21 weeks.  I am not free ranging them due to my lack of fencing/hedging and my garden opens onto fields so they would definately go awol.  They seem very happy, until the storms started!  I have covered part of their run with waterproof sheet but they prefer to sit under their house in the rain.  As the rain has been so bad the whole area is now pure mud and I have concerns about thier feet.  Their feet are looking remarkably clean but I was considering putting down some straw under the house - would this be any advantage to them?  The storms have really upset them and I don't know what action I can take to help them, I have been sitting it out with them, they seem to calm down when I am there and huddle up to me.  Any advice on how to make their life more comfortable during the storms would be much appreciated, I hate seeing them distressed!

[alan42]

storms can upset them but nothing to worry about they will soon go back to there normal routine. straw in the run wount harm them and neather will a bit of mud on there feet as long as there not in mud all the time i mean like weeks then it will not harm them.
remember there basicaly a wild bird and within 2 hours of you letting them go they are wild birds needing no human help whatsoever to survive.
so in short hay if you want to and dont worry about them they will be fine.
alan

[Kazoo]

Thanks for the advice and re-assurance, my other half keeps reminding me they are wild birds and will be fine but it panicked me that they were so distressed, guess once they have been through a few storms they will get better - they have certainly had their fair share in the past couple of days in Lincolnshire!

[Des C]

Don't panic. We have had six or seven days of rain here in Co Antrim and my birds are still laying. I did put down a bale of bark chips in one end of their run so that they can get out of the mud. I also rigged up a perch from an old floor timber. They are doing fine - just bored like their human counterparts.

[Aunt Sally]

A perch is a good idea Des.  They enjoy sitting up on something