# Chickens + rain??



## Loopychicklady

My hens seem to love being drenched.. They saunter around in the downpour and I'm forced to bring them in and dry them (I was told wet feathers can be fatal if the weathers cold?) crafty, our naughtiest hen is always in for a warm.. I think she does it on purpose! 

Should I be so worried about them getting wet?!


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## Reinerchick

I have heard as well that wet feathers in cold weather can be fatal. And I believe it. I would do your best to keep them dry or bring them in. I would hate to see you lose them. Maybe lock them in the coop while it's raining? Thats what I would do. Or if it gets really cold then bring them in. Wish you the best of luck!


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## Apyl

Mine play in the rain. Wet feathers are only bad for chicks.


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## shane12970

my uncle had about 30 die in the rain im assuming from drowning. if they don't have somewhere to get out of the rain they look up and drown... someone correct me if im wrong


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## Apyl

shane12970 said:


> my uncle had about 30 die in the rain im assuming from drowning. if they don't have somewhere to get out of the rain they look up and drown... someone correct me if im wrong


How old were is chickens? Chickens do not drown in the rain even if they look up.


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## shane12970

They were like 4 weeks old and they were some kind of meat chicken . He had them in a coop without a top. It was summer , it rained hard one night and I went up there to feed them. All but a few were dead, he had 20 to 30 all wrere great the night before


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## Roslyn

Chickens don't look up, with their beaks pointed straight up. They tilt their heads and look with one eye when they want to get a good look at something. I have only seen them "look up" at about a 45* angle when they are looking above their heads at something edible like berries or a bug.

I'm not sure what happened to the chickens. I would not keep them in a pen, especially in the rain, without a top of some kind. Mainly for the shade, and for weather.

I have had ones soaked through, and a little miserable, but never life threatening. I would be worried if they were soaked in that way and the weather was very cold. Then they could take a chill because the feathers help keep them warm.


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## Apyl

shane12970 said:


> They were like 4 weeks old and they were some kind of meat chicken . He had them in a coop without a top. It was summer , it rained hard one night and I went up there to feed them. All but a few were dead, he had 20 to 30 all wrere great the night before


 It wasn't that they drown, they got cold and died. Chicks are fragile when it comes to getting a chill.


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## shane12970

Never knew that.. it was years ago. I keep mine in a coop with roof on it.. I have a 18 red sex links about 4 months old and 16 Barred plymonth rock that are about 1 month old...the rocks are more friendly ....


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## GratefulGirl

I love the pictures! Looking like heavenly light shining down LOL!


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## ChickenAdmin

Mine go nuts in the rain. It brings out all the bugs.


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## OrangeCatRex

My birds love the rain too.... So what's up with the old saying "mad as a wet hen"? My hens don't seem the least bit upset (mad). Can anyone shed some light on this?


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## fuzziebutt

I'd walk around in the rain if I could sit in his lap, too!


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## GenFoe

My chickens are young and like being out in the rain too. 

I use a hose to wash away poop from everything in the yard and they will get right up to where I'm spraying and get wet on purpose! Crazy chickens!


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## Loopychicklady

fuzziebutt said:


> I'd walk around in the rain if I could sit in his lap, too!


LOL hahaha


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## JudyLandauer

OrangeCatRex said:


> My birds love the rain too.... So what's up with the old saying "mad as a wet hen"? My hens don't seem the least bit upset (mad). Can anyone shed some light on this?


I was wondering about that, too, since mine don't seem to mind the sprinkler. One animal we've found that got REALLY mad when we sprayed him with a garden hose was a racoon. He was climbing up a utility pole so we soaked him up pretty good to discourage him from climbing up to the hot poles where he would have certainly died. (This was before we got chickens.) He roared at us like a lion. He looked pretty big before his shower but skinnied down to nothing when drenched. He ran off to the empty house next door and we never saw him again.


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## OrangeCatRex

JudyLandauer said:


> I was wondering about that, too, since mine don't seem to mind the sprinkler. One animal we've found that got REALLY mad when we sprayed him with a garden hose was a racoon. He was climbing up a utility pole so we soaked him up pretty good to discourage him from climbing up to the hot poles where he would have certainly died. (This was before we got chickens.) He roared at us like a lion. He looked pretty big before his shower but skinnied down to nothing when drenched. He ran off to the empty house next door and we never saw him again.


Maybe it should be "mad as a wet '****". Lol.


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## Sarasyn

I've been wondering about this. My chickens don't have a good place to stay dry. They can't get up off the wet ground. I was worried that they'd get sick or something. We find out tofay if we're going to be building our new coop on our lot or on grandma's land, so they'll be able to get out of it soon, but I worry. Good to know some chickens seem to like being wet!


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