Chickens and bad weather!

[featherz]

I let mine out every single day unless it's supposed to be a massive storm, which this one really isn't. Big rain, a little snow, those sorts of things they go out in and do fine. "snowpocalypse 2011'? Nah, I'd keep them locked up for that.

 

[drmchang]

If they had access to the run from the coop they can decide which they'd rather be in. My chickens would rather huddle in the mud under their coop than go back inside during the day, no matter how nasty it is. And if we open the run for them to free range, they always go out no matter what.

 

[Davian]

Chickens will go out if they want and stay in if its too nasty. I'd let them decide for themselves on it.


One morning, I opened the coop door and none of them would come out. I thought it was odd, I made sure they were okay and then left for work. About 15 min later, the skies opened up completely and the worst, most torrential thunderstorm I've seen in years hit...they clearly knew it was coming and decided to wait it out. They must have felt the electricity in the air.

 

[wyododge]

The only reason I close up our coop during a storm is to keep the snow/rain out of it cause it makes a gawd awful mess. They were out the other day in low forties and a absolutely driving rain storm. they were running around eating worms...

I too think letting them decide for themselves is always best. I always think of the movie A Christmas Story and michelin boy being tortured by his mother.

 

[OnnieMae]

My four week old girls made it through their first tornado strength winds today. I put them in their house so they would not get hit by flying debrief. I sat inside and worried about them the whole time. Am I crazy?

 

[Markiss]

While I admit, I haven't done any research on this yet, thought I just ask since I'm cold,wet,tired and hungry. We're in the midst of a nor'easter here in the northeast, it's a cold, heavy rain with stiff winds and sometimes a mix of the white stuff. I left the birds in the coop until noon today, figuring they'd be better off inside, but when I went out to check the feed/water situation, I opened the door and all 14 bolted for freedom.

They free range all day/everyday. This is the first real bad weather we've had since I've had the birds which are 7 months old now. These birds are probably the most friendly birds you can imagine, spoiled rotten etc..., but I have to question how smart they are? Nice large clean coop, food, water etc..., yet they're out in the storm as if it were summertime?

I didn't plan to even release them today, but they took me by surprise, once 3-4 birds got free it was too late. Someone please chime in, and help educate me for the upcoming winter. Was I right to WANT to keep them locked up, or do they have enough sense to head back to the coop for cover if need be? Will it hurt them to be out there wet all day, in the 30 mph winds? I ask because as I said this is the first real bad weather, when they were young chicks, I know they needed to be kept warm and dry until they were old enough and "feathered out". Since they are grown, is it safe to assume they will just do what's right or am I gonna have a bunch of snot nose chickens running around in a few days?

 

[Mrs. K]

As long as they have the choice of shelter, let them be.

 

[Kota Mitera]

I operate from a mother's point of view. My girls free range every day. Because we live on the tree line of the Great Dismal Swamp, I worry about predators every day and count chickens several times a day. The last big nor'easter we had, after reading the posts on BYC about how they know what is best (my girls hid in the sheds all day, got wet and had to be shown to the coop,) I would like to keep them inside today and see how it goes. Of course, if the rain breaks, I will let them out but it is so yucky and I can imagine that the coyotes are watching and waiting. Sometimes the stress is too much and I start thinking about a large run and a chicken playground.