Rainy Days

[shadowmane]

Okay, so we've just gone through some wet weather the last few days. It was pretty today, so I let the girls out of the coop. I was just wondering, is it okay to let them out of the coop on a rainy day? I wouldn't want them to get too cold with the water on their feathers and all, but I don't want them cooped up for days on end because of rain either.

 

[prairie]

Mine are out of the coop free ranging all day every day summer and winter, of course they can return to the chicken house anytime they want to. They didn't particularly like the snow but I threw down some hay at the chicken house door so they could come out and sun themselves this winter. They do come out in the rain and pay no attention to it usually.

 

[cafarmgirl]

It's fine for them to go out as long as they are able to come back in when they've had enough of the weather. Then they'll preen and fluff and dry off. Wet weather is good worm finding weather!

 

[Fierlin1182]

It's fine. My chickens will often just roam around out in the rain, getting soaked. They will go indoors when they have had enough. As cafarmgirl said, the worms all come out in the wet.

 

[ignatz]

Mine *prefer* rain and overcast days as it's *much* cooler for them. They free range all year long and in the spring, summer and fall they stay to shady areas unless it's raining or overcast because the direct sun is just too hot for them or it's just more comfortable for them to remain in the shaded areas until the sun goes behind the trees in the evening and then they go all over the 6 acres until they decide it's late enough to go into the coop. In the winter they're everywhere and don't mind the snow so long as it's not too sticky to scratch under.