What to do on windy, rainy, nasty day.

[seafood]

Today in the Northeast we a raw, damp, windy, rainy, spitting kind of day.

What do you all do with the coop door? Leave it open so they can choose to go in or out...or leave it closed ensureing a dry, draft free coop?

Chickens are 8 weeks old or so...mostly fully feathered.

 

[mmajw]

I guess it depends on the size of the door and how much wind or rain is getting in and if they are huddling in a corner to avoid it.

 

[Katy]

That young I'd just shut them in for the day. With my hens the door is open no matter the weather and they make the choice to stay in or go out.

 

[chicken_boy_Kurt]

I leave my adult chickens door open so they can pick but today I didn't even open the door for my 10 week olds.

 

[OrchardLnFarms]

Oh I hear you about the nasty weather today. I kept the door shut most of the day and let them out a little this afternoon. It's days like this I just want to scoop them up and bring them inside.

 

[snowydiamonds]

weather only a duck or goose would love...

We had that yesterday and the geese were out four times loudly proclaiming their freedom and Spring! Then they scooted back inside to that one egg and the other 6 buried eggs- I'm about to take those eggs and candle them but am picking up a borrowed incubator first!

 

[Bec]

I also have had a yucky day. I kept them locked in until about noon when the rain slowed down a little, but we were having wind gusts up tp 60 mph! So I let them out after all that calmed a little and then they can make the choice of in or out...it was like that all winter too unless it was unbearably cold or yucky..

 

[chicken_boy_Kurt]

I hate it when it feels like winter in May!

 

[kodiakchicken]

I've been wondering about how to deal with the wet, windy, chilly weather too. My peeps are only 2 weeks, so quite awhile before they go out, but on Kodiak the majority of our days are right at 40 degrees with wind and rain. So far this month we've had over 7 inches of rain! The ducks will love it but will the chickens adapt? I'm going to have a little covered run outside their coop, but can't afford to build them an entire pole barn to peck around in.

 

[sBrickmanHouse]

We had the same weather yesterday.

Our girls are about 13 weeks old, well-feathered and pretty big.

On clear days, we generally open the pop door, the top half of the Dutch people-door, and both the windows. That way, the coop gets a ton of light and fresh air.

On nasty days, like yesterday, we leave the pop door open, as well as one window (it hinges at the top, and is quite rain-proof). We leave the people door and the other window closed. That way, they have the option to go in and out to their run at will, and they get some fresh air, but no wind and rain enter the coop.

They spent most of the day in the coop to be sure, but they did venture out occasionally during breaks in the rain. They sure were rarin' to go when I let them out this morning, though, after being "cooped up" (literally!) most of the day yesterday!