Do chicks know how to get out of the rain?

[rod5591]

My 22 chicks Are young, 5-6 weeks but pretty well feathered. They live in a 2 level coop with the run downstairs and the dry coop upstairs. They need to use a ladder to go upstairs.

It is raining hard and they are all huddled together in the run. Why don’t they go upstairs where it is dry? I can not guide them up the ladder because I can not get easily to my knees.

Will they survive a soaking? It is really raining hard

 

[aligarysmom]

I am not sure but I would remove them from the wet. My limited understanding is a good soaking can kill them. Do they usually go in the coop?

 

[cmom]

If there is a dry spot they will find it. I have rain/shade tables in all of my pens. They like to get under them when it rains. The also have shade trees in their pens but they often times get under the tables for shade.

 

[lazy gardener]

If your chicks are huddled in the rain, it is your responsibility to take care of them. This is one of the reasons why the short coops and runs are a bad idea. It makes it nearly impossible to access the birds when attention is required. Young birds who do not have older birds to "show them the ropes" sometimes can't figure things out.

 

[sawilliams]

In my experiance 5-6 week old hand raiae chicks dont understand ladders as well and though the likely can get up a ladder it can take a few wks before they go in regularly in there own. I would diffinatly move then or provide a dry area possibly get some heat on then for a little to make sue they warm up

 

[Theladiesandagentleman]

Is it dark in their coop? They might not want to go in a dark place. Are they going in at night when you are ready to close the coop door? At their age they should not get soaked. They will need to be dried.

 

[rod5591]

I am not sure but I would remove them from the wet. My limited understanding is a good soaking can kill them. Do they usually go in the coop?

I have seen them Walk up the ladder to the coup before, in the last few days. They have only been out of the brooder for 4 days. This is their first rain.

 

[rod5591]

Is it dark in their coop? They might not want to go in a dark place. Are they going in at night when you are ready to close the coop door? At their age they should not get soaked. They will need to be dried.

It is fairly dark, with 2 tiny ventilation windows

 

[aligarysmom]

I agree with the others. It’s quite feasible they don’t know about dry spots in the run if there are any. And because it’s not night time for sleep they don’t understand to go in there when it rains? That age group is also not feathered enough to be wet. My mother has had chickens since I was a kid and she says even full feathered girls should not get drenched. It’s not good for them but can kill that age group.

And no one has asked that I have seen...is there a dry space in the run somewhere ?

 

[rod5591]

If your chicks are huddled in the rain, it is your responsibility to take care of them. This is one of the reasons why the short coops and runs are a bad idea. It makes it nearly impossible to access the birds when attention is required. Young birds who do not have older birds to "show them the ropes" sometimes can't figure things out.

Well that’s the kind of coop I have. And in so far as whose responsible for my chicks, I need no reminders. I have had animals all my long life, although these are my first chickens