Do you let your chickens out in the rain?

[seminolewind]

Mine are out. They run for cover when it gets heavy, but then they come out with light rain. I think they know what they're doing.

 

[ErikaSmit]

Mine forage in any weather, just not a fan of snow.

 

[Messipaw]

• PaulaSB12--LOL LOL LOL
• iheartnh--mine look like wet rats.

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

Mine have the option to go out in the rain, and they do when it's drizzle but anything heavier than that, they head inside. I don't worry much about them being wet unless it's cold out or 'bedtime' - then I put on the heat lamps. They are still young - about 14 weeks - and I'm probably babying them more than they need. But they just look pathetic when they're wet .

A 14 week old chicken would be just fine with no heat lamp in 15 degrees below zero with snow. You're honestly not doing them any favors by heating them.

 

[iheartnh]

A 14 week old chicken would be just fine with no heat lamp in 15 degrees below zero with snow. You're honestly not doing them any favors by heating them.

Really? That's impressive. I guess it's time to put the lamp away, then. Thanks for that info.

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

Really? That's impressive. I guess it's time to put the lamp away, then. Thanks for that info.

You should have seen my broody hen with her four-day-old chicks out foraging in the snow this March. They'd all go skittering around playing in the snow, then pop back under Mama to warm up. Remember, chickens are wearing down parkas 24/7.

 

[iheartnh]

You should have seen my broody hen with her four-day-old chicks out foraging in the snow this March. They'd all go skittering around playing in the snow, then pop back under Mama to warm up. Remember, chickens are wearing down parkas 24/7.

4 days? I guess I've been misled about the sturdiness of chicks. Wow.

 

[Scrambled8]

Mine Love the rain. they run around and sing a little song and jump around. When its absolutley pouring I dont let them out though

 

[trudyg]

We've had some real downpours here lately. At times, they come into the carport and hang out. Other times, it's like they don't know what to do, so they hang out in the corner of the deck and house--right where 2 roofs combine to dump on their heads! The first time, newbie me picked them up and put them in the coop. Next time I carried a piece of lettuce and had them follow me to the carport. When I'm not home, DH just lets them get wet and stands in the door looking at them (they get quite loud, calling to him).

 

[iheartnh]

Chicks are tough little beasties. They don't need a heat lamp over their entire brooder, just a place where they can go to warm up if necessary and a place that's out of the wind. It doesn't even have to be a specific temperature (like 95 degrees the first week, 90 the second, stepping down) if you look at how the chicks behave. If the all huddle under the light, lower the light. If they all fall asleep in a circle around the edges of the light, raise the light. If they are sort of evenly scattered all over the brooder, everything is fine.

I used to do the stepped-down temperature thing, but then I saw how my broodies handled chicks and talked to some old-timers, and now I'm a lot more relaxed.

This right here is why I love these boards! Great tips - thank you!