Chicken guzzling water

[labradors]

My chickens are on their last legs. Although they came from Freys are only 4 years old, one of the original six had occular Mareks and I'm pretty sure that two of them died from regular Mareks. We are down to two, and one is molting like mad and has a pale comb.....

The healthier of the two is now guzzling water like crazy. At first, I wondered why she was all wet down her front, and then I noticed the frenzied drinking. It's hardly surprising that she is stressed, as they have been cooped up in the coop for days with the little heater on. It's small, but not that small. Hubby built it for six chickens. We only let them out into the mid-run on warm days. The mid-run has a roof and the sides are covered with plastic, but it has more ventilation, and gives them more room to exercise, explore and to sit on a different perch.

Now, even though the temps are nicer, I don't dare let them out of the heated coop as she already has some frostbite on her wattle. I'm guessing that she is bored to tears, or maybe it's due to the sunflower seeds I've been giving them every day. I've stopped that, in case they are causing an impaction. Today, she couldn't stop eating.......

[Killerbunny]

Try some lettuce. Mine love the bottom end stubs.

[labradors]

Thanks! I'm growing lettuce in hydroponics, so I can give it a whirl. I also give them the odd dandelion leaf which is growing in a pot of Agapanthus that I brought inside .