When is it ok for them to be rained on???

[7cutechix]

I have 7 week olds in a chicken tractor coop/pen attached with a tarp over it that doesn't really cover the whole thing very well, rain can blow in if they are out in the pen area. We have chance of showers every day, it seems.....yesterday I had them locked up in their coop most of the day as I didn't want to take the chance of them getting wet. I'm afraid to leave for the day and leave them out in case it rains. Please advise!!!!

 

[sparkles2307]

Our chooks are 6 weeks old, and have to be locked up today cause its rainy

I dont know when they are ok to be out in the rain either, so told DH to leave them in for now. They DO come in if they are out when it STARTS raining, but I dont know if they would know to stay in if we let them out when its already raining.

 

[HennysMom]

is there any way you can get a bigger tarp or add another one? It's really not okay for them to be rained upon and yours are still pretty small at 7 weeks.

 

[Guinea Goonie]

Your chickies are a little young for the rain. Adults have no problem with this, but the little ones are not completely feathered out and they can have a problem with the water.

Chicks shed a lot of feathers for new adult ones, give them a few more weeks.

 

[new2chix]

We have nineteen 6 week old chicks who stay outside in a makeshift run with an old doghouse for a coop until they get big enough to join the big girls. They go inside or under the "coop" when it rains, and they put themselves to bed every night (at 9:15, precisely - go figure!). They seem to be thriving, and feathering very nicely, except for a couple of bantam frizzles who are just ugly ducklings at this point.

 

[tomato lady]

We had a thunder and lightnigh storm here about a week ago and I had to go out and herd my 6 week old chicks into their coop! The thunder and lightning didn't even bother them. The rain with that storm was not heavy, but the sky got really dark. They just didn't care.

I also have to herd them in every night. They roost on a piece of log that I put in their run and they don't seem to care if they go in their coop at all. Maybe I am putting them to bed a little too early. I usually go out to their coop about 9 p.m. and spend a little time with them. One of my Brahmas just sits on that log and waits for me to pick her up and put her in the coop! Silly chick.

 

[elmo]

This is only the beginning of my fourth week of chicken observation, so I could be off base with this, but...

so far, and at least with respect to the chickens I have, it seems to me that chickens are creatures of routine. We've been weighing ours every night before settling them into the brooder for the night, and if we don't follow that routine, they complain loudly. Once they're weighed, they settle in without a peep.

So I'm going to be very careful about establishing a routine for them when I transition them outdoors to their coop. I'm going to be sure to establish a routine that's convenient for me to keep.

 

[kagedgoddess]

Quote:
my chicks were scared the first thunderstorm we got. they are in the garage so its pretty loud. t stormed so much lately they dont care anymore.

i was wondering too about all this. i Love this site. it has everything you need to know! (plus i like pointing out the approriate thread to dh and saying, 'see i'm not paranoid OR crazy!) lol

 

[7cutechix]

It just started raining, again, and I went out to put them in the coop and all I had to do was tell them to go in!! (well, I opened the door where I usually put food and they came running!) Only one was lagging behind and finally went in! I didn't have to climb in the run or anything!