Rain and Freezing?

[This_chicks_place]

Hi Everyone I have a question. It has been raining here all day and it is supposed to get down to freezing tonight. When I put the girls the away tonite their heads and bodies were pretty wet. Will they freeze in the coop tonite? We do not have any heat or lights in the coop and I'm worried. Will they be ok?

 

[Marcymom3]

I hope they will huddle up together and keep warm. Will be watching replies with interest...

Hope they'll be fine!

 

[Fred's Hens]

They come into the coop and generally spend some time preening and fluffing. They'll be fine. They know what they are doing.

 

[7L Farm]

Perfect weather for the birds it beats the triple digits we had all summer.

 

[centrarchid]

I have some birds that roost outdoors essentially under stars even during the freezing rain season. When freezing rains hit, the outer feathers when soaked will freeze. Tail and hackle feathers will freeze to point of being stiff and considerable weight to bird but when birds metabolism picks up the following morning the ice melts. They still retain ability to fly. No obvious long-term effects. Birds seem most concerned with ice on branches that make it difficult for them to roost. Following freezing rains, the birds either move into buildings or roost on ground until ice melts.

 

[This_chicks_place]

Quote:
Thank you so much for the info. I hope that they did do some preening and dried off a bit before falling asleep. Frozen feathers....... not such a comfy night I would think.

 

[WishboneDawn]

The only chicken I worry about with rain is our little silky roo. He seems to get soaked see I'll put him in the coop. The other though don't seem to care. Our sex link chickens, which were never free-ranged before they came here, can't seem to get enough of the outside WHATEVER the weather. The poor girls are molting too but it doesn't matter - they're out there rain or shine.

 

[woodmort]

When I opened the coop yesterday the birds went out and came right back in--apparently blaming me for the weather as there was a lot of angry discussion on the topic. They got wet and cold but were fine when I closed everything up for the night--just a little p.o.ed.

Basically the only one that suffers in this kind of weather is the owner.