Do you let your chickens out in the rain?

[memechick]

I live in NH .. today it is 52 degrees out and is raining steadily. I worry about my girls cooped up in a 4x6 coop. They are use to free ranging. I know it won't hurt them to stay inside for a day or two but I was wondering if the rain would hurt them ... make them ill? Or is it ok to them them go out for an hour or two just to get them out of the coop?

 

[memechick]

I forgot to add that there are only 4 of them inside the coop.

 

[silkiechicken]

They can go out. If mine did not go out, they'd be inside over half the year. Stinky wet chickens will still have fun. LOL

 

[JackE]

They are OK out in the rain. Some don't even look like they care at all, as the pick around in the yard during a rainstorm. They get back in the coop looking like a bunch of drowned rats, but the next day they're as neat and clean as ever. I've never had any of them get sick from getting wet. (Never had any get sick at all actually)
Jack

 

[Celie]

Mine free range and mostly the ducks and geese love th rain, the chickens and turkeys will be in and out as the rain slacks or gets harder. They do like a nice shower, though!

 

[mickey328]

We open the coop at 7am at the latest every day and they're all eager to get out. When it rains, they tend to huddle under the coop (it's elevated) out of the rain. When it's just light sprinkles, they don't seem at all bothered and stay out in it. Their feathers shed water fairly well and as long as it's not a freezing rain, they should be perfectly fine.

 

[Folly's place]

Feather quality matters; Silkies, frizzles, and some soft feathered breeds will not do well in conditions that wouldn't faze another type of bird. Mary

 

[memechick]

Thanks everyone ... I was just worried because I thought I had read somewhere that a chicken cannot regulate their body temperature ... so if they got wet and cold it could be detrimental.

 

[DianeS]

BABY chickens can not regulate their own body temperature well. But once they are fully feathered out (around 6 weeks or so), they're fine.

 

[Celie]

Chickens keep their henhouse toasty warm n the winters here with just their body heat. We have to use fans is there is not a nice breeze in the hot summer.