Do you let your chickens out in the rain?

[NovaAman]

I have a covered area, the coops are all off the ground, and the coops are also open in the rain. If its warmer, they will be out, if not, they'll be in the covered part or hanging out under coops... OR In my garage. At 52 degrees and raining, my girls will only go out when there is a lull and run back inside the run as soon as it starts back up.

 

[rabidgoose]

The only trouble I ever had was when my Polish roosters insisted on perching outside in a freezing rain. They got frostbite on their skulls. They were known as the numbskulls after that.

 

[iFairyx]

Mine go out in all weathers (for the most part), if its raining then they normally hide under the coop (the coop is lifted off the ground),
if they get sneezey (as they do sometimes) then I make up some Tylan for them, but I live in England - if they stayed in during the rain
they would be inside more often then out.

iFairy x

 

[Desirai]

I keep my chicken coop door open and they choose to go out and stand in the rain like dummies. I guess if they get cold they'll go inside..

 

[Hippie Chicks Mom]

I try to be sure they are sheltered. They have choice of returning to coop, going under porch or under my work studio. If it a real downpour and they are still out in the rain (very rare) I will put them back in the coop.Soaking wet birds can get sick.

 

[hallerlake]

I live in Seattle. The first fall rain scares the young ones, but they get used to it real quick.

 

[humphrey farms]

I try to be sure they are sheltered. They have choice of returning to coop, going under porch or under my work studio. If it a real downpour and they are still out in the rain (very rare) I will put them back in the coop.Soaking wet birds can get sick.

I leave my coop door opened and find that during the rainy season especially now that the temps have dipped the chickens seek shelter in torrential downfalls and only merge outside when there's a break or slight showers. I read somewhere that they do enjoy a soft rain to help get their feathers cleaned. Damp people or animals get sick so make sure they have some dry places to escape to.

 

[chinzilla]

Ours LOVE the rain - they frolic around in the rain like it's play time. During heavy downpours they all go into the coop on their own, but mostly they like to eat the bugs that the rain pushes out of the ground

 

[coffeenutdesign]

Mine must be the exception. Of course, I live in the desert so mine don't get used to a lot of rain so that may be why. We got some really heavy rainfall last week and 5 out of my 7 did not have the sense to get out of the rain. They were just standing there, drenched, not moving. They didn't go back in the coop, even though they had free access. We have a covered porch they get under when it is too hot in the sun, but they didn't even stay there. They walked outside the gate in the pouring rain and just waited. Two of them at least got under my husband's work truck to get out of the rain. I didn't let them out too much the other days that it rained so hard after that.

 

[Celie]

The only trouble I ever had was when my Polish roosters insisted on perching outside in a freezing rain. They got frostbite on their skulls. They were known as the numbskulls after that.