Wet chicken....

[Paintedhorsegirl]

Can chickens get sick from being out in the rain? My chickens are free range and come and go from the coop in my barn as they please. But I have a 2 chickens that insist on being outside when it rains, they are soaked and I put them back in the coop to dry off under the heating lamp but no more than 5 minutes go by and they are back outside. Can they get sick? I hate to have o cut them off from having free choice to be in or out but I dont want them getting sick either...

 

[teach1rusl]

Most chickens will do fine in the rain...we've had nothing but rain for the past week here, and my big girls have been drenched (very sad looking...lol) on multiple occasions. I do put my little ones (chicks) inside when it rains. And I've read that silkies don't do well wet IF the temps are cold (I saw silkies in your sign. line)...but hopefully you're not dealing with cold AND rain (else it'd be sleet/snow, right???

).

 

[Paintedhorsegirl]

The silkies are still in the house, Im trying to move them to another coop with heating lamps in the barn but I have a momma duck and her babies in it now. I tried to put the silkies in with momma duck yesterday and she attacked them. So i guess that wont happen again, they are back in the house and Im going to have to build a fourth coop this weekend. I hate that I have to have so many coops because some dont get along with others. Cant they all just get along

Well Im glad to know my free range hens will be ok, your right they look very sad and drenched

I worry about them steady,
I wish they would just stay inside!

 

[teach1rusl]

And we have a big front porch the girls frequently hang out on, plus I leave my garage door open about 2 ft. for them to go inside, and they STILL hang out in the rain...

How old are your silkies?? I have some 8-9 week olds. They're my first. I do have a separate coop for them. I've read that they don't roost much, and last night was the first night I put them up on the roost - and they stayed there all night

 

[Inkheart]

We have the same weather here - i have one hen for whatever reason LOVES to be out in the rain - the rest have the sense to go in the barn- she is fine - comes in drenhed and loving it

 

[bburn]

My two cents here....

We have had nothing but rain, high winds and thunderstorms...and tornado warnings for a week and a half. My chickens are out in the rain all day. Besides the coop there are other shelters in their runs. I see them in there but they are mostly out in the rain pecking and looking for bugs and worms.

A little sunshine today and they are looking okay now....I worry, but it does not seem to bother them.

 

[Country4ever]

My chickens LOVE the rain. Silly girls. But they are scared to death of snow. haha
The important thing is that they have a dry, windless place to go to warm up and dry off.

 

[Paintedhorsegirl]

Good to know my hens arent the only ones that like to hang outside in the rain....

 

[Paintedhorsegirl]

Quote:
My silkies are about 4 weeks, they are also my first. Im in the process of learning more about them...

 

[kez]

I have 4 chickens and might be getting more... i want 7 or 8 so that means 3 or 4 more chickens cant wait yaay!!!