Wet Chickens. Anything I should worry about?

[Thunder344]

Hello,
It's raining. Very wet.
I was wondering if something bad could happen if the chickens get soaked? There is probably 7-8 girls back there that are totally soaked and i feel really bad for them. They can get inside and underneath something to shelter them, but apparently they choose not or get bullied out. Their back feathers are all over the place and SOAKED. Anything i should be worried about or anything that could go bad? What is the quickest and easiest way to dry them?
Thanks!

 

[sourland]

It all depends on your ambient temperature. If really cold, hypothermia is always a possibility.

 

[Thunder344]

It all depends on your ambient temperature. If really cold, hypothermia is always a possibility.

Around 45 degrees

 

[alwaystj9]

How tame are they....would the extra handling/blowdrying/toweling totally freak them out?
There are people here who bathe and dry their chickens.
How cold is it? I am in Louisiana and its 80 deg. outside right now, a wet bird would be fine.
Can they get to a safe, calm, dry area so they can dry out themselves, preening and ruffling?
If they are in a bullying situation, you probably need to arrange some kind of overhang or shelter for the bullied birds in the future.
If its chicken's choice, well, I have seen mine wandering in the pasture during mild rainstorms.

 

[3KillerBs]

As long as they had the ability to freely choose to be inside or outside, wet or dry they will not get themselves wetter than is good for them.

Mine decided to spend all day foraging in cold rain a couple weeks ago and they're fine: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/wet-hens.1442537/

 

[aart]

Put your hand under those hard wet outer feathers, I'll bet the are warm and dry next to the skin.

or get bullied out.

What does this mean?
If they are being kept away from shelter you need to fix that scenario.

 

[Thunder344]

How tame are they....would the extra handling/blowdrying/toweling totally freak them out?
There are people here who bathe and dry their chickens.
How cold is it? I am in Louisiana and its 80 deg. outside right now, a wet bird would be fine.
Can they get to a safe, calm, dry area so they can dry out themselves, preening and ruffling?
If they are in a bullying situation, you probably need to arrange some kind of overhang or shelter for the bullied birds in the future.
If its chicken's choice, well, I have seen mine wandering in the pasture during mild rainstorms.

They can go in our outside. There is the whole coop, a partially covered run, and a small outside covered area.

 

[drmolarmagic]

My Silkie loves getting her head wet,

 

[Thunder344]

How tame are they....would the extra handling/blowdrying/toweling totally freak them out?
There are people here who bathe and dry their chickens.
How cold is it? I am in Louisiana and its 80 deg. outside right now, a wet bird would be fine.
Can they get to a safe, calm, dry area so they can dry out themselves, preening and ruffling?
If they are in a bullying situation, you probably need to arrange some kind of overhang or shelter for the bullied birds in the future.
If its chicken's choice, well, I have seen mine wandering in the pasture during mild rainstorms.

Most are tame. Some run from me, but i could catch them and they would be fine with me just holding them. Almost all of the wet girls are tame.
It's 40-50 degrees outside plus a bit of wind.
They can all get into the coop, and a partially covered run. I also put up a tarp outside in their big run for them to huddle under.

As long as they had the ability to freely choose to be inside or outside, wet or dry they will not get themselves wetter than is good for them.

Mine decided to spend all day foraging in cold rain a couple weeks ago and they're fine: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/wet-hens.1442537/

Okay, thank you!

Put your hand under those hard wet outer feathers, I'll bet the are warm and dry next to the skin.

What does this mean?
If they are being kept away from shelter you need to fix that scenario.

There is shelter for everyone, but some of the girls just wander around, not going under the shelter. It really confuses me why they don't keep themselves warm.

View attachment 2550429
My Silkie loves getting her head wet,

She is so cute! How does she just get her head wet?

 

[aart]

There is shelter for everyone, but some of the girls just wander around, not going under the shelter. It really confuses me why they don't keep themselves warm.

Well, you mentioned bullying......so that could be why.
But some like to be out in the weather.
I check for dry dry skin on the roost after dark.