What do you do to keep your chickens dry????

[kota1369]

Mine have a designated 12x45 foot area where they can go under the rabbit area which is 5x26' and now tarped in the front so it comes down in a tent.
Then when they are out in the yard they usually come up a lay under the eaves or destroy my foundation with the lovely dust bathing. The also like hanging out in front of my 6x9 picture window and they can tap on the glass at the dogs laying in the window. So, mine have a few area's they can get up under.
Sometimes they do have to be taught were to hang out though. That is for sure.

 

[RaZ]

My chickens have the inside coop with a door to the outside run. Plus there is a 12' by 24' tent garage they can go into. Both are dry and protected.
So where do I see the flock? Out in the run in all kinds of weather.

It got to 38 degrees here and has been raining all day. They spent most of the day at the point furthest from the dry spots.
Who am I to second guess what they want to do?

 

[donrae]

My chickens have dry areas to go, they frequently choose to stand out in the rain. So do my horses, goats, dogs and little boys. Haven't lost a one yet to wetness or accidental drowning.

 

[ChickenMack]

I am in NW Washington, and like today, cold, blowing, you now, NWish- I just let the girls do what they want after I open their coop for the day. Most often, they spend the day under their coop- which is raised and high enough that they can stand under it which keeps them out of the weather. I found that they don't hang in the coop until roosting time or to lay eggs. But chickens really don't get wet.

At the end of a rainy day, if you go and feel them up, and get in under their feathers, they are warm and dry where it really counts which is next to their skin.

 

[sacrifice]

It rains over 200 days a year here, and sometimes my chickens look wet and dirty - but that is only the surface feathers. 3/4 of their run is covered, but they love to hang out and roost in the uncovered area and also play in the mud. They have a nice dry coop with pine shavings where they can dry off and get wam if they want, and they are quite healthy. They know what and when to do things, so when we have 50+ MPH wind and rain/snow, they get to make the choice of where they want to be. So far, no problems at all.

 

[polloprincess2]

I'm in Seattle where it is pouring hard. My run is partially covered but, I covered the rest with a tarp today. I couldn't stand how muddy it was getting even after I added more pine shavings.

I think my next run will be totally covered considering how much rain we get. It would be nice to have something that is removable for the summer months or month.

 

[bloom_ss]

Over here on the east side it has been raining all day today. Not as much as over there where you are, but still, it's wet. LOL My girls decided they wanted to come out in the yard today even with the wind and rain, but then they all hid under the back deck so they wouldn't get wet. I have a tarp tied down over the run so their area is dry, but they still would rather be out, than in.

 

[vclark321]

That is funny! I was just thinking about that today as it rained non-stop in Bonney Lake, Washington! I just put up a patio cover to keep the rain off the patio. The dogs bring in most of the outdoors on their feet. I had an extra piece of tarp I put over their coop and run. I have their run covered anyways, but this goes over all of it so they can range. They run around in the rain and look like they got caught in a hurricane! LOL! They have plenty of space to take cover and I am lucky enough (without wind) to have lots of tree cover!

 

[Mommy 2 Wee Ones]

Blow Dryer

At least for my Silkies, when they are too ditzy to not get out of the rain. I bring them in, set them on a towel in the bathroom & blow them dry.
My others are on their own, but this last rain, they did go into their coop.

 

[Yonaton]

Quote:
You can't force them to go where they'll stay dry, this is why the OWS people are considered just as dumb as chickens.