When it rains do your chickens go into their coops?

[jolenesdad]

Question for you free rangers....
how do you now what your birds do in the pouring rain...are you out there in it too?!

Mine have access to go wherever, they can easily get under or over wood horse fencing... but they stay real close to the activity. In the morning they usually take a wide lap about 150-250 feet from the coop in a big circle and then stay close to their coop and horse areas.

 

[BantyChooks]

Question for you free rangers....
how do you now what your birds do in the pouring rain...are you out there in it too?!

Occasionally, yes. What can I say, cold wet babies make me soft enough to go cover their pens. I can also see their range areas from the house.

 

[Perris]

Question for you free rangers....
how do you now what your birds do in the pouring rain...are you out there in it too?!

Like most respondents, I can see the coop from the house, and the built covered areas are around the house. The front door has glazing left and right, so if they're sheltering in the porch and I pass through the hall, one or two are usually visible one side or the other or both (or feathers and pooh on the doormat tell me later that they were there ). If they're sheltering by the back door I may hear them when I go for coffee refill or to let the dog out (in which case all get a bit startled, despite it being a common occurrence; the dog usually decides he can wait in such circumstances )

 

[Chickassan]

Well... yes right now I am out there when it rains. Iv'e been trying to steer the latest chicks to cover enough times so they'll get it. They run and screech otherwise. I did the same thing last year and the year before. So in the chaos I see where everyone is. I know the coop stays empty because it would make sense for them to go in there.

Question for you free rangers....
how do you now what your birds do in the pouring rain...are you out there in it too?!

 

[GardenJen77]

It's pissing down here at the moment. I've just done my rounds and as usual the chickens are trying to take shelter from the rain. I've got a hen in my house; caught out going to lay an egg. There are a few under one of the cars. A few more under the hay rack in the sheep field. Most of the Bantams are under their coop looking miserable. Donk, a strange little hen is trying to shelter under a large leaf.
All the coops are open, but not one has a chicken in it!
Where do your chickens go when it rains?
It would be helpful should you post to mention whether your chickens are free range or in a run and if their coops are accessible during the day.

My chickens are in a run and go into their coops. When they free range, those that are a ways away from the coop, hunker down in my lilac bush or trumpet vine.

 

[aart]

Question for you free rangers....
how do you now what your birds do in the pouring rain...are you out there in it too?!

Was kind of a rhetorical question...for a laugh.

 

[Perris]

and it made lots of us laugh!

 

[lissalischicks]

Question for you free rangers....
how do you now what your birds do in the pouring rain...are you out there in it too?!

That's what the coop cam is for!~

 

[Pugsabi]

Mine "free range" in my fenced in backyard. They have a coop that they can go into but usually only go there when it's super hot. We have a tarp a few feet above the hanging waterer where they hangout when it pours, although sometimes they'll hang out under the overhang by the back door. When it sprinkles they don't react to it.

 

[AquaDuck]

Mine goes to stand under a wooden bridge that has maybe 3 square feet of coverage. They have plenty of better options, but apparently that's the spot...
When I know it's gonna rain hard the rest of the day, I herd them into their covered run, since I don't want them to get wet and cold.