Curious about rain/cool weather - should I lock them up or not?

[ANGELCHICK]

I have almost 16 week old pullets and we've not had much rain this summer. My question is - its been raining here for a couple of days and now its very cool. I wonder do I need to keep them up, until their run dries out some or just let them be? I lost one a couple of weeks ago to impacted crop - just trying to be preventative. Don't want anyone else to get sick. Yes I worry...

 

[Chickenmaven]

I never, ever keep my birds confined. I live in Michigan and my kiddos do fine in SUPER-COLD weather. If it is -10F at night, I might wait until it is 10 a.m. and 10F to let them have access to their run. However, they get access every single day. If your run has standing water or 4 inches of muck, you need to remedy that, but if it is just wet out, let them out to play!

 

[ANGELCHICK]

No, there is no standing water. I put my run at the top of a little hill in my yard so it drains well. If it was just cool or wet but not both. I hear my mom saying its "too cool and wet to be outside you'll get sick" when I was a child. Thanks for the input. You guys are a great support, I LOVE BYC!!

 

[fordmommy]

My chickens like the rain. Unless it's "storming". Then they go inside their coop. But....some chickens, I hear, don't like snow. But I don't think you get too much of that.

 

[funkychickenowner]

Let em go they are not that stupid they will stay out of the rain if you give them shelter but only if they want to sometimes they get drenched and have no problem with it.

 

[cmom]

I let birds free range. They like the rain but if it's raining to hard or whatever they will go into their covered run and coop.