Pouring with rain, soggy drenched yard, annoyed chickens

[NotSoChickenLove]

Their coop is completely dry and draft free. The run has a waterproof cover so is just a bit damp. The chickens have cabin fever, only slightly relieved by mealworms and some greenery to tear to bits.

 

[Pork Pie]

What size is your coop / run and how many chickens do you have? The minimum recommended space for coop space is 4sqft per bird, and run is 10 sqft per bird.

 

[jwyles]

Mine love when I pile sticks in their run for them to climb on and pick at when they can't get out and explore. I'm getting tons of rain too so my babies are "cooped up"

 

[NotSoChickenLove]

What size is your coop / run and how many chickens do you have? The minimum recommended space for coop space is 4sqft per bird, and run is 10 sqft per bird.

I have two. The coop is 1m by .7m and .7 high, and set another foot off the ground, and located outside the run - stuck on the side of the run. The run is a chicken wire covered little green house, so maybe 2m by 2m? And walk in height. They have some high roosts and various bits of large driftwood to climb up on to get there, so they can use the height also. I'm pretty sure they have plenty of room. They're just rather be grubbing in the garden on a nice sunny day.

 

[Pork Pie]

I have two. The coop is 1m by .7m and .7 high, and set another foot off the ground, and located outside the run - stuck on the side of the run. The run is a chicken wire covered little green house, so maybe 2m by 2m? And walk in height. They have some high roosts and various bits of large driftwood to climb up on to get there, so they can use the height also. I'm pretty sure they have plenty of room. They're just rather be grubbing in the garden on a nice sunny day.

Maybe take a look at this link of a search that I've just done - it may give you some inspiration - https://www.backyardchickens.com/search/148415/?q=entertaining+chickens&o=date&c[title_only]=1

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Forgive me if I smile a little here...in Oregon...NW Oregon...where we get LOTS of rain all year long.

If I cooped up my hens for a rain, they'd never get out.

I don't worry about it unless it is a blowing wind storm. They have wonderful waterproof coats (that oil gland at the base makes the feathers as good as a slicker, and the down underneath keeps them warm).

They will forage throughout the rain all day long.

Obviously they have some areas to escape torrential down pours (we get more of the constant drizzle and solid rain...all day....every day) than the true cloud burst down pour.

But chickens are amazingly able to adapt to inclement weather.

I do keep my Silkies in an extended covered run on bark chips as their feather feet become mud balls, but my regular hens, just weather it.

LofMc

 

[NotSoChickenLove]

Maybe take a look at this link of a search that I've just done - it may give you some inspiration - https://www.backyardchickens.com/search/148415/?q=entertaining+chickens&o=date&c[title_only]=1

I've put in a (new) cat litter box filled with dry sand and dirt for them to roll around in today, but they haven't touched it. They're sat on the top roost in the run all fluffed up, watching the rain and complaining to each other. Nearly bedtime for them anyway. Tomorrow I'll let them out if there's a clear patch and they can wade around looking for worms.

 

[NotSoChickenLove]

Forgive me if I smile a little here...in Oregon...NW Oregon...where we get LOTS of rain all year long.


They will forage throughout the rain all day long.

You have tough chickens! The run has been open all day but they've just sat inside looking disgusted by the whole deal! They're summer-born chickens NOT liking their first winter....

 

[Lady of McCamley]

You have tough chickens! The run has been open all day but they've just sat inside looking disgusted by the whole deal! They're summer-born chickens NOT liking their first winter....

Well, tell them their Oregon cousins are laughing at them!

(They won't snicker too loud though. When we get our rare snow, my birds stare terrified from the coop until it melts...last winter that took a week! One braver hen tried to "walk" in the drift, sunk, flapped up sqawking loudly, bounced up and down about three times in the snow to face plow into a snow bank where she would have remained huddled until she froze to death had I not stopped laughing long enough to pick her up and put her back in the coop run with the rest of the, uhm, chickens.)

LofMc

 

[NotSoChickenLove]

Well, tell them their Oregon cousins are laughing at them!

(They won't snicker too loud though. When we get our rare snow, my birds stare terrified from the coop until it melts...last winter that took a week! One braver hen tried to "walk" in the drift, sunk, flapped up sqawking loudly, bounced up and down about three times in the snow to face plow into a snow bank where she would have remained huddled until she froze to death had I not stopped laughing long enough to pick her up and put her back in the coop run with the rest of the, uhm, chickens.)

LofMc

They don't call them chickens for nothing!
I have to say, they're not the smartest creatures I have ever owned. And I had some goldfish once upon a time.