Outside coop- cold, driving rain, muddy pen Inside coop- toasty, dry, fresh litter, full food/water Chicken location- of course, outside!!!!
I guess I just have smart chickens. At the first sprinkle, they are RUNNING into the coop. And it's HOT in there.
Mine used to go inside if it so much as sprinkled. Since they've discovered that rain floods the worm burrows and brings them to the surface, they run around with muddy beaks, gobbling down every one they can find. At least they go in when it rains really hard.
Have you taught them to go in when it rains? All it took for mine to learn was one instance earlier this year. The weather turned horrible suddenly...we're talking very large hail, lightening, downpour, 50 mph winds horrible...and my chickens were too bewildered by it to move anywhere. I can't blame them, it was difficult for me to stay standing up! I ran out there and grabbed each one and took them to the coop. They stayed in until the storm stopped, and they came out again.Now, whenever the rain is too heavy, they go right in! Frequently, the way to "fix" a dumb animal is to teach it .
I live in the wind belt and have seen more than one tossed against the fencing. My polish were so stupid that they drowned in 3 inches of water when they were a few months old. Kinda like in the movies where the guy that cant swim is flailing around until someone tells him to stand up and he can actually touch the bottom. Yep....I have homemade waterers now and they cant drown unless they stick their heads into a smaller space and inhale, which wouldnt suprise me with those guys. My other chickens are pretty smart and get inside where it is nice whenever it rains. I do have a couple of worm slurpers though. I do not think that all chickens are dumb, but either the polish are the exception or we just got a batch that lacked brains. My 6 year old wanted the polish, I prefer meat or eggs, you get neither with them. However, I just bought some OEG creles and love them.