Can they get too cold in the rain?

[Kmarkello]

For some crazy reason, my girls are not going inside when it rains. It’s 60 degrees out and I just realized they were out and didn’t go into their sheltered area or in the coop. They have just been standing around getting rained on for hours I think. I’m afraid they will get chilled…should I dry them? I have a variety including 2 bantam Cochins and a smallish polish that I’m particularly worried about.

 

[Boise-girls]

I think it might depend on how cold it will get at night. If it's not going to get a lot colder, and you're giving then a nice dry place to roost, with dry bedding/litter, I would think they'd be fine. Mine tend to stay under cover when it's raining, though (including bantam cochins). If their feet are wet from rain or snow, I shut them in their covered pen about an hour before bedtime so they can scratch around in the litter and dry off before going into their coop.

 

[3KillerBs]

This thread may reassure you -- my girls last winter: https://www.backyardchickens.com/posts/23932868

As long as they have the option to choose to be in or out, wet or dry, I figure that chickens know how to be chickens better than I know how to be a chicken.

They're probably dry and toasty warm under the outermost layer of feathers.

 

[aart]

They're probably dry and toasty warm under the outermost layer of feathers.

Ditto Dat!

 

[Mrs. K]

If your birds have a choice, let them make it. Chickens actually produce a lot of heat, and will dry on the roost, very fast.

Mrs K