When it Rain Chickens dont go back to coope

[All About Chicken]

I started to let my chickens free range as my garden is about done… they really liked my wife’s greens. Anyway when it rains they just stand there and get wet. I tried to get them back in the coope with no luck. For some reason they scatter for me when it rains but they don’t when it is a clear sky. I can only surmise they are scared about the raining issues. Should I build a lean to outside the run?

 

[chicmom]

A little rain won't hurt them. Especially now with the summer heat. I just leave their run door propped open during the day, that way they can go inside when they want to. (Of course, they're locked in at night.)

 

[feliciamckee]

I don't think it would hurt them either. I wouldn't let my little one's out in the rain though. My chickens hate to get wet! You should see them scatter out of the garden when the sprinkler comes on!

 

[mcostas]

Mine hate the hose and sprinkler but they go out in the rain, even the heavy storms. We just had a storm yesterday and I swear it almost appeared as if they were playing.

 

[anderson8505]

Yup. We're having heavy rains here. (I know the rain won't hurt them, I just wanted them inside for my own peace of mind.)

I had to go out in my Gorton's fisherman-looking raincoat to herd them back into the coop. They were terrified of me. I tried to tell them I was only looking for fish! I had to take my hood off and show them it was just me. Very visual, birds are.

 

[BairleaFarm]

Mine to stay outside. If there is a severe storm they usually come home but for the most part they dont act like it bothers them.

 

[ll]

Mine don't mind the rain either - at all, even pouring rain .. once morning they sat happily on the perch in their run and got soaked, really drenched.

 

[shelleyd2008]

I've always heard that you can tell how long/bad it's going to rain by the behavior of your chickens. If it's going to rain all day they'll stay out in the rain, but if the rain will stop soon they will hide from it. Makes sense since they forage....if it's going to rain a long while and they want to eat, they have to get wet, but if they 'know' it's not going to rain very long then why bother? Unless you have silkies, they love the rain...I think they are part duck

 

[cmom]

On real hot days I have sprinklers in the yards. The birds love it when I turn on the sprinklers and are out digging in the damp earth.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

My chickens will stand out in the rain all day. They wait for all of those juicy earthworms to pop out of the ground so they can gobble them up