Do you let your chickens out in the cold rain?

[The Angry Hen]

when it rains, i just open the coop's door and let them decide what to do.
in 6 years, i haven't seen an hen that was going in the coop while it was raining, but i prefere let them decide
Even my silkies prefere to stay out is my coop so horrible maybe?

Add a tea kettle, checkers, and a television... They ought to change their minds.

 

[Shadrach]

The chickens here go out of their coops everyday, no matter what the weather. Sometimes it takes them a while, particularly if it's hailing or very windy.
We don't get the endless days of rain and gray here thankfully. When it rains it's often accompanied by thunder and lightning and it absolutely tips down.
When I first started looking after the chickens here the Marans would stand out in the rain if it wasn't raining very hard. As each new generation has arrived they seem less inclined to stay out in the rain and seek cover.
I have a theory that hatchery chickens and some chickens from breeders do not appreciate the effect rain has on their ability to evade predators. A wet chicken is noticeably heavier and if rain has penetrated past their primary feathers their flying ability is greatly reduced.
These days and many generations on, all the chickens here seek shelter when it rains; a little drizzle is tolerated, full on rain isn't.

 

[WarrenHound]

i dont because of their long tails or in some cases feather legs i dont want the mud damaging their feathers and i dont want to risk them getting wet and not coming back from it so all of mine are covered and tarped when it rains coops are off the ground on cement with thick bedding so they stay warm, i have perches of course in there and there arent so many in a pen that they are to crowded so everyones pretty happy with it. i see some breeds having less issues with cold weather and icy rain but ive not had great experiences so i just dont let it happen personally

 

[Fairview01]

As long as I don't have to be in the rain and her wet, i don't care where they're at when it's raining.

 

[Manhen]

My thought is that if they want in the rain, they will. If you keep them closed up that is more manure to clean out....

 

[LizzzyJo]

If it's just raining, then I let them out despite the temperature. They get mad when they don't get to free range. However, if it's crazy windy or storming or going to storm, I don't let them out of the run. This is because they hide in weird places on the property during storms and then I'm out there in the stormy dark with a flashlight trying to find birds so that they don't get eaten by coyotes when it's time for bedtime lockup.

TL;DR - it depends.

 

[D-Bar-B]

I leave the coops open all day and shut them at night. If they want to go out in the rain I can't stop them. I don't own my chickens, they own me.

So true!

 

[Lizzy733]

If there are strong winds, ensure you incorporate a wind-break on your sheltered area - also, adding a few perches or a dust-bath to the sheltered area will keep them entertained while waiting out the storm.
Mine shelter under the coop and dustbathe through the heaviest of the downpours. It's large enough for them all to fit at once and it becomes a bit of an impromptu party every time.

 

[feathermaid]

Just don't make the mistake of thinking that hanging out in the rain is the same thing as hanging out in the mud. You want your chickens to avoid standing in wet sticky mud all day. All sorts of disease-causing pathogens love to multiply in mud. Wandering through wet grass, scratching through a deep layer of soaking-wet wood chips bedding, or even coming across some mud while out free ranging is all fine.

You want to have excellent drainage away from your coop/run area to avoid standing water and mud pits. A covered run may keep out rainfall, but doesn't necessarily keep the ground below dry. Even a small roof collects a significant amount of runoff and all that water has to go somewhere when it hits the ground... usually seeping right into the run. Facing the slope of the roof downhill or using gutters to direct the water away will help keep this from happening. If my birds want to go outside and play in the rain, I always let them.

If you'd rather entice them to stay in the dry run, try making it more interesting. Add more perches of different heights and materials, log stumps, platforms, a hanging treat dispenser, a bale of hay to scratch through etc.

 

[Waves]

when it rains, i just open the coop's door and let them decide what to do.
in 6 years, i haven't seen an hen that was going in the coop while it was raining, but i prefere let them decide
Even my silkies prefere to stay out is my coop so horrible maybe?