Rain and chickens??

[DarleneE]

Awwwwww they sound like they're awesome birds!! Guess I did good!! My Olivia is a sweetheart!! She's hilarious.. if I'm holding Daisy, my Barred Rock, she will actually knock her down and get on he herself!! And if I take Daisy out to play and hold, she will start to make the biggest racket!!.. squawking and squawking!! An awesome hen!!

 

[PrairieChickens]

I should be getting Black Copper Marans in April. One of the hens will be going in with my Ameraucana roo for that very reason. By this time next year, I should be hatching out my very own Olive Eggers!

 

[Cheyen]

I'm getting jealous of you guys, haha.

 

[DarleneE]

How cool is that!!!!! Best of luck with that!!!!

 

[Sleepy Maggie]

Not a stupid question at all - I mean, it's not like we were all raised by grandmothers who could just teach us by giving us chicken-chores! Anyway don't worry - my hens stay out in all kinds of weather, by choice, because they could go into the coop if they wanted to. The only time I have ever seen them go into the coop during the day was when we were expecting the rain to turn to ice - in fact they knew it before I heard it on the news! And they have never suffered any ill effects. I certainly don't dry them. The only reason I could think of to do that would be if you were raising them for show and you wanted to keep their feathers in perfect condition for the judges.

You were right to be concerned about rain getting into the coop, though - dampness in the bedding isn't healthy for any creature. So, see? Not stupid at all!

 

[t1john]

Not much rain happening here in Oklahoma, just Fire Hazzard Warnings. But my Chicks have a good Coup to go into, if it does happen to rain here someday.

 

[Thechickmama]

Ameraucanas are pure bred chickens with breed standards. They have tails, muffs (cheek fluff), and beards. They only lay blue and sometimes green eggs. Easter eggers are mutt birds that lay multi-colored eggs. Easter eggers can have the tail, muff, and beard of an ameraucana, and even be the same color standard. But if it lays an egg any color other than blue/green, it's an easter egger. 

There's a similar breed called an araucana. They have no tail feathers, and have only tufts- not muffs or beards. They're a rare breed, and have specific standards like the ameraucana. They only lay blue eggs. Neither the ameraucana or araucana are sold by hatcheries. You can only get them from breeders. If you got your cutie from a hatchery, there's a good chance she's an easter egger. 

Thanks for the info my sister (who only checks on the chickens when I'm gone or sick) thought that my americana (I know that's spelled wrong) was a Easter egged but now I know I was right. YESSSSSSSS I don't want a Easter egged and I didn't get one YESSSSSSSSS

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Thanks for the info my sister (who only checks on the chickens when I'm gone or sick) thought that my americana (I know that's spelled wrong) was a Easter egged but now I know I was right. YESSSSSSSS I don't want a Easter egged and I didn't get one YESSSSSSSSS

So you got her from a breeder?

 

[PrairieChickens]

The reason you dry off wet chickens is because they've had a bath, and the water has gotten down to their skin. Leaving them wet in those circumstances would make the uncomfortable and chilled, possibly even causing them to be ill. In all but the most torrential downpours, the rain just runs off of their feathers and never reaches their skin, leaving no reason to dry the chicken off.

 

[PrairieChickens]

Quote: I'd like to note that all of my Easter Eggers lay blue eggs. If you paid about the same for your "ameraucana" as you would have paid for a common breed like an orpington or barred rock, then you have an Easter Egger and not a purebred Ameraucana. Purebred Ameraucanas are expensive, even as day old chicks from hatchery stock--my male and female Ameraucana chicks were about $20 each.

That being said, if what you have is an Easter Egger, do not--I repeat, DO NOT--be disappointed! I have owned dozens of chickens over the past few years, and the Easter Eggers are my favorite "breed" of them all! They're robust, handle temperature extremes gracefully, aren't susceptible to frostbitten combs, lay steadily all winter long, and come in a gorgeous array of colors. Furthermore, they're generally more intelligent, healthy, and wily than my purebred chickens, making them much better suited to free ranging.