Another Question from this Newbie: Chicks and Rain

[egglicious]

Hi All! My chicks are just two days short of being six weeks and most are fully feathered except for a few of the bantams. Yesterday, it was around 75 degrees all day and they were outside the whole time, I just brought them in in the evening. Today, it's gonna be around 65 and rainy (I live in the Northwest) all day. Their run is partially covered but not fully rainproofed and the ground will be wet. They will probably have a dry area under their coop... Should I let them out again? They are getting so big I hate to keep them in but I also don't want to freeze the little ones who aren't as developed. What do you all think? None of them went into their coop yesterday and I know some of them can't make it up there yet... If you would like to see how developed they are you can check out some photos on my other thread about their genders (scroll down to the bottom):

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=554352&p=2

 

[leadwolf1]

If they were mine, I wouldn't put them out in the rain. They tend to still get chilled easily at this age. I would rule on the side of caution...but, that's just me

It was 95 degrees here a couple weeks ago, we had a storm, pouring rain...chickens out, playing in it....none of them younger than 11 weeks. Went out to close them in for the night and they were in the coop shivering and shaking. I turned the heatlamp on them for about 3 hours and they sure did appreciate it!!

 

[JodyJo]

chickens may know what time to come inside at night, they may know when to lay an egg, but when to come in out of foul weather, not so sure.

My hens love the rain....my little ones, not so much.

My roosters last year ended up with frost bit combs, didn't know that -25* was too cold! I learned, I never let them out of the run on days like that!

I agree, too chilly...you don't want them damp

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

If you're in the northwest souds like they are goiing to get alot of days like that, I'm kinds new at raising chickens as well, and pretty much going on a watch and see, and sometimes they don't give me a choice. I think it depends on whether you have hardy chicks or not. Mine seem to love being out in the rain and if it comes down too hard they run for shelter, If they have a choice and shelter if needed let them decide, they might like it. Mine were 3 weeks old when I let them free range

 

[chickchicks]

question then

mine are about a week or two old and"mum" takes them outside all the time is this not good for them then?
so far i t has not rained onthem so im not sure what mumwould do asin the past she seems to love the rain !

 

[JodyJo]

I don't think she would take them out in the rain if it could harm them...I think they are tougher than we think...
we just like to baby them!

**remember, she can sit on them and warm them back up too....

 

[chickchicks]

thats definatly true, thisis my firsttime this year with chickens and with chicks !!! imon edge with everything

chicks are good though theve been pked and pecked at and dropped by mum and they are fighting fit !!!

mums first timeand she is doing wonderfully witht them. i got to see one riding on her back for the first time this week !

 

[leadwolf1]

Mamas also teach them how to hide when the rain gets bad enough....mine just sit there and get soaked

 

[chickchicks]

That's mine all over it's sunny and there under shelter it rains and they run out in it

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

With feather-footed bantams, like silkies, you want to be careful with them getting wet and cold, and especially with babies. As grown chickens, they can handle cold, and they can handle getting wet - it just isn't good for them to be cold and wet. Even as adults, they aren't rockets scientists, so don't always know to get out of the rain. So, i would definitely keep them inside with those conditions.

Most of my pens are completely covered. But one pen of silkies has a small area with just hardware cloth overhead. If we get an early storm before i cover that area with plastic, i end up with soaked silkies and have to spend hours drying them. They go after the water hitting the dirt, not realizing they're getting wet themselves.