chickens in the rain

[alecia86]

Rhp after my posting above, one of my girls developed a respiratory infection that had to be treated with antibiotics (she was wheezing and struggling to breathe). So maybe limit their time in the rain. (Mine were out in it for three days straight though)

 

[RHP63]

Rhp after my posting above, one of my girls developed a respiratory infection that had to be treated with antibiotics (she was wheezing and struggling to breathe). So maybe limit their time in the rain. (Mine were out in it for three days straight though)

I might just lock them inside the part that's covered because I will be gone pretty much all day with work and it will rain all day. I'll just feel bad about it because the covered part is not very big at all and I had just got them moved into their new huge run and they've enjoyed their freedom a lot over the last week. It's going to be an over cast 60° day of rain. One day of boredom would probably be better than sickness later though.

 

[LearningChicken]

It rained all day at our house today and was really cold. Our weather has been hot (almost 100 on Friday) and now cold (56 today)!!! I left the door open last night on their coop and when I woke up to the pouring rain they were running around crazy!

I tried to get them back inside, but none of the girls wanted to cooperate

and I finally had to give up and go to work. They are soaked!!! and still out running in the rain! Should turn on their heat lamp when they go to bed? Maybe to help them dry off? I don't want anyone to get sick!!

 

[RHP63]

Well I changed my mind on the locking them up because well they are outdoor animals and I can't baby them forever so I let them out into their run for the day and left before the rain hit. It rained off and on all day, I tried not to worry about it. When I got home tonight after dark I found everyone in the coop roosted and very dry.

 

[RHP63]

It rained all day at our house today and was really cold. Our weather has been hot (almost 100 on Friday) and now cold (56 today)!!! I left the door open last night on their coop and when I woke up to the pouring rain they were running around crazy!

I tried to get them back inside, but none of the girls wanted to cooperate

and I finally had to give up and go to work. They are soaked!!! and still out running in the rain! Should turn on their heat lamp when they go to bed? Maybe to help them dry off? I don't want anyone to get sick!!

I would make sure they were dry before sitting all night. But I don't really have any experience with this.

 

[CockadoodleMimi]

I wasn't sure if mine would like the rain or not so I opened the coop and out they ran to their favorite scratching area. Doesn't seem to bother them a bit.
I do have to say that I am finding my hens to be very entertaining. If I throw something, off they run to see what it is..."is it food, can we eat that"? They are hilarious when they race to see who can get it first. So seeing this I toss their favorite treat to get them back into the coop. These are my first chickens and I have to admit I really love watching them. I just need to find a way to get them to let me hold them.

 

[LTygress]

Mine are 100% free-range but there is a huge carport they can get under if it rains (and no one uses it for vehicles). They never do though. All last summer, they walked around the yard, feathers drooping, soaking wet, but didn't care. It was free bath time!

Silly birds. This year, I'll be sure to toss out some Johnson's Baby Shampoo! Lmao!

 

[Glos Girls]

Thank you for this post, again just what I was looking for. We are newbies to raising these amazing "kids" and will be having rain most of this week and I was not sure what to do. Now I know.. nothing..lol Can't wait to see what they do, and yes I will still worry. Thanks again.

 

[Annette G]

I live in South Australia and have New Hampshires 1st year layers they stay in the rain but I am scared they will catch cold.Do they catch colds.

 

[Glos Girls]

I live in South Australia and have New Hampshires 1st year layers they stay in the rain but I am scared they will catch cold.Do they catch colds.

Thank you, I will be keeping an eye on them to be sure they go in to get dry. Sure do not want any colds going around in the coop.. Dumb question but crossed my mind so I have to ask.. We pass colds like crazy, if one chicken catches a cold can the others catch it from the first chicken?