Rain

[eastbaychicks]

My birds are so in love with the rain. What is is? They don't even try to get out of the rain ever. Their little toes are all red and you know they have to be freezing cold. And what about when they go to bed wet and it's in the 40's at night. Should I dry them?

 

[underground chickenman]

As long as they have the option to get out of the rain and know where that is, they are the best judges of their own comfort. I wouldn't worry about it. I also wouldn't bother drying them, but you should make sure the coop isn't drafty at night.

UGCM

 

[silkiechicken]

They'll figure it out... it rains all the time in the PNW (western washington) and they are always wet. Broody took her 3 day old chick out in the rain when it was still in the 30's at night and they did fine. It seems to take about 5 years of a chickens life to figure out that staying dry means not so cold. Only my oldest birds even remotely try to limit their time in the rain.

 

[TomKat]

Out of the nine we have about three don't notice the rain and end up completely soaked. Our rooster and two other hens will venture out in the rain for brief periods. The other three will only venture into the rain if I'm handing out worms or some other treat. Like the others mentioned, your girls are their own best judges of comfort.

 

[chickenwhisperer]

Mine were out in it all day too in Sac.
When I got home they were huddled up under the awning section of the tractor.

They look like they had a pretty good time in the mud tho, judging by the messy feathers and crazy footprints.

I still gotta light on them tho out there, because it is def still cold at night.

But its sposed to be sunny California agian for the weekend!!!

Your chickens sound like me, I love the cold and rain and dont mind being out in it, the summers here make me appreciate being cold . . .

 

[Akane]

Sometimes when they first experience something chickens can get too scared to do the sensible thing and if it's real cold might suffer or they might fail to get in before dark. Otherwise they are perfectly fine in the rain, snow, sleet, hail, etc... unless they decide otherwise. Much of our dislike of being out in rainstorms is learned or cultural. Majority of it probably from a dislike of getting clothes wet. Personally I never understood it. My mom would yell that the horses were standing out in the pouring rain and maybe I should go get them so I'd wander out to the far side of the 40acre pasture not having grabbed a raincoat to see what they were up to. They'd look at me, I'd look at them, they'd go back to eating grass with their tails to the wind, and I'd wander back to the house to tell her they were fine. Then get a head shake over how dripping wet I was. Unless it's cold enough to lower your body temperature or you are sleeping wet when your body temperature is naturally lowered it's not going to harm you any. Granted most rains here are cold and not comfortable to walk around in unless you have an insulating fur or feather coat like the animals do but it's still not bad in summer. In hotter climates like the time we spent in Arizona and California I'd spend every rainstorm outside generally in just a tshirt and shorts. I've run competitions all day on horseback in rainstorms. I could probably count the number of colds and flus I've had in my lifetime without running out of fingers.

 

[eastbaychicks]

One time they were locked out of the coop when we had a crazy wind/rain storm. The wind had blown the run door closed (I now prop it open when I let them out). It was so sad to see them huddled where ever they could, sadly the lower end of the pecking order all were trying to cuddle with the upper end to stay warm, meanwhile they were exposed and sopping wet. I did dry them, cuz they were WET! I mean dunked in the tub sort of wet.

Today they found their way back, as usual and yes they are wet. But not like they were dunked in the bath.

I just feel so sorry for their cold little toes. BRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. And I'm from Seattle.

I am not ashamed to use an umbrella. I even thought of making little umbrellas for the girls. For about a second LOL!

Ok... I trust you guys.