4 Reasons Your Chickens Need A Water-Tight Coop Roof

20 July 2015
 Categories: , Articles

Share

You want the best living conditions for your chickens, including healthy chicken feed, fresh water, and a nice place to sleep and nest. When the roof of your chicken coop is not built the right way, and it leaks when it rains or when snow and ice melts, you need to get it fixed as soon as possible. Here are four reasons you should fix your leaky chicken coop roof.

You Don't Want Excess Moisture to Cause Frostbite on Your Chickens

Winter temperatures rise and fall, and if you have a winter warm spell, any snow and ice will melt and drip into your chicken coop via the leaky roof. When temperatures dip again to below freezing, your chickens will be at risk of getting frost bite on their wattles, feet, and comb. And any cold draft inside your chicken coop can exacerbate this problem. 

Frostbite occurs when there is too much moisture in your chicken coop that freezes when the air gets colder. Also, puddles of water in the coop can splash up onto your chickens and get their skin wet. Any wet and bare skin on a chicken that is not protected by insulating feathers will be at a high risk of frost bite when the temperatures fall to freezing. One hole in your roof can allow enough moisture to get into your coop to cause frostbite.

You Don't Want Wet Nesting Boxes and Wet Chickens

If your chicken coop roof leaks during winter or summer, water can drip inside the coop and onto the nesting boxes. Water dripping into nesting boxes will soak the nesting materials, the boxes, and your chickens if they decide to nest there. 

When your chickens still use their nesting boxes despite the fact that they are below a roof drip, your chickens will get wet feathers. A chicken's feathers can't shed water when they get wet, and they need to air dry over a period of time. So, if your chickens get their feathers wet when the temperature is lower in the winter, your chickens can die from exposure because they can't warm themselves.

You Don't Want a Mud Bog Chicken Coop

When the temperatures warm up outside, it is still not a good idea to allow your chicken coop roof to spring a leak. If the floor of your chicken coop is a dirt floor, water will drip from the roof and pool on the floor, turning the packed dirt into a mud pit. If your chickens are constantly walking in a wet, muddy environment, they are more prone to get bumble foot. 

Bumble foot is a condition when your chicken's feet get a cut that doesn't get a chance to heal and becomes infected. The wound becomes worse, spreading over the rest of the chicken's body. Bumble foot can eventually kill your chickens from the infection.

Besides being a health concern for your chickens, a chicken coop mud bog that contains chicken droppings will be smelly for you and your neighbors. You might have complaints from neighbors because your coop will smell like raw sewage from an outhouse. Repair and replace the damaged roof to save your chickens' health and your relationship with your neighbors.

You Don't Want Your Chickens to Eat Moldy Feed

Dripping water from your chicken coop's leaky roof can soak your chicken's feeder, causing the feed to become wet. Over time, as this leaky roof continues to drip, the wet feed can grow mold and mildew. If your chickens eat moldy or rotten feed, it can give them botulism. 

If your chickens become infected with botulism, it will cause paralysis of their body and respiratory system, killing them within 24 hours. Signs of botulism in your chickens include paralysis of their legs, wings, and feet, making them look uncoordinated.

Water dripping inside your chicken coop is never a good thing, so get your leaky chicken coop roof repaired the proper way. Your chickens deserve a well-built roof over their heads. For more tips on keeping your chickens safe, you can contact a local vet clinic. Visit http://www.1stPetVet.com for more information about these services in your area.