During rain, when your chickens remain outside, you may feel panic. You may take an umbrella and step out to escort your birds back to the coop. You may have confusion, thinking, are chickens smart enough to get out of the rain? The answer is quite complex.
Instinctively some chickens don’t like rain. And they learn to stay out of the rain. But some chicken breeds are probably not smart enough to get out of the rain. Some birds don’t know when to seek shelter and how much rain is too much to get wet. In this situation, when your chickens get drenched in water, they can get sick.
So, first off, observe your chicken’s behavior and do a little research on your chicken breed type. You shouldn’t take a chance if you watch your chicken get wet in the rain. Don’t depend on your flock, or don’t expect that they will head to the coop during raining. Rather keep your bird within the cage on a rainy day.
However, we will explain more details about it. So, keep going through this article till the end.
Do Chickens Enjoy In the Rain?
Whether the chickens enjoy rain or not depends on the particular breed type. Some chicken breeds like to stay in the rain. Some species don’t like or don’t tolerate the rain. Do chickens like rain or not depends on the following factors:
- Temperament
- Breed
- Personality
- Behavior
Whether chickens like the rain or not it’s a good query. But it’s not easy to tell what your chicken is thinking. Many coop owners allow their flock to decide depending on the weather. Therefore on a rainy day, your birds can enjoy their outdoor time or remain safe indoors.
However, many chicken breed types enjoy rainy days. So you don’t need to panic by thinking can chickens go out in the rain? Sometimes your birds can go out even if there is a roof in the coop to protect them from rain. Chickens can like rainy days for two reasons:
- First, more bugs are available on a rainy day. Therefore your chicken is more likely to remain closer to the dirt surface. As a result, they will get more feed or bugs to eat.
- Secondly, the chicken thinks the predator will not attack them on a rainy day. Predators on rainy days face a harder time. So, on rainy days they will be limited. Therefore, chickens can easily roam around.
For the above two reasons, your chicken can enjoy being in the rain. But it’s not necessary that every breed will like it.
Depending on the species, your chicken’s behavior and preference can vary. For example, the Rhode Island chicken breed enjoys the rain. But the Poland and Sikies breeds can’t tolerate rain as they get sick in water.
Are Chickens Smart Enough To Get Out Of The Rain?
It’s a common question that almost every flock owner asks “are chickens smart enough to get out of the rain? The answer is contradictory. According to some flock owners, some chickens are probably not smart enough to get out of the rain. But the others say their birds are smart enough to get out of the rain.
Many coop owners believe the chickens don’t have enough sense to come out of the rain. It’s not the chicken’s sensible behavior that they will come out of the rain. For a chicken, a rainy day is undoubtedly a good day.
On this day, the birds forage more widely than normal. To chickens, fog and rain are opportunities. Therefore they don’t want to come out of the rain.
But, some farm owners shared their experiences and commented on this question. According to them, their flock gets out of the rain. And then, the birds go into the coop to stay dry. So your chicken should get out of the rain on their own.
However, if your chicken fails to escape from the rain and gets wet, the rain won’t hurt them. During the rainy season, it’s better to close your chicken coop door. Doing so will ensure the safety of your chicken.
Closing the coop door at night will prevent the entry of predators and other rodents. Thus your flock will remain safe. Provide dry, warm, and cozy coop access to your chicken. Ensure safe outdoor locations for the flock.
During the rainy day, set your chicken free. If they feel awkward in the rain, they will soon run to the previously made predator-safe fenced area when the rain comes.
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Does Chicken Enjoy Free Range In The Rain?
Whether your chicken enjoys free-ranging on a rainy day or not, you must examine your bird’s behavior to know it. During rain, set your chicken free and let them do their thing.
When chickens enjoy free-ranging on sunny days, why should you keep them in the coop on rainy days? By examining the behavior, you will know whether chickens like the rain or not.
Ensure that your chicken has on-demand access to the free area during the daytime hours. Let them go freely in their coop, run, or the pasture. Make sure your chicken can go anywhere in the rainy and dry seasons.
The free-ranging chicken is generally self-regulate-based. They get wet in the rain whenever they like. And similarly, they get dry when they need to. But the free-ranging chicken on a rainy day has the rush to eat more bugs in the rain.
Even if some chickens enjoy the rain, there can be problems, also. Until the birds get fully soaked, they don’t realize how hard the rain is. Therefore if the chicken remains in the rain for a longer time, it can sometimes be harmful also. So, consider all these facts too.
Do Chicken Feathers Water-Resistant?
Yes! The feathers of chickens are water-resistant. But the water-resistant feathers don’t keep your flock dry in a rainstorm. The water-resistant feathers don’t eliminate hypothermia or other disease risks. Due to prolonged exposure to heavy rain, your birds can suffer from this disease.
In short, even though the chicken has water-resistant feathers, you can’t expect it to remain dry in the rain. Only to a limited extent can the feathers be able to repel water. But the problem arises when chicken feathers and skin get soaked. This can ultimately result in different illnesses in your bird’s body, including catching a cold.
Due to its water-resistant features, chickens can withstand light rain for a short time. Sometimes they can even enjoy it. But the question is can chickens get sick from the rain? The answer is not all breeds.
For example, Rhode Island can enjoy the rainy weather for longer. This breed comes with tight feathers. Therefore they are more resistant to water. But, Poland and Sikies-type zero-water resistant breeds can’t enjoy in the water. They have a high risk of falling ill when they get wet.
How To Keep Your Flock Safe In The Rain?
Your flock can suffer from illness due to constant rain exposure and temperature drops. It’s a major factor that impacts the health of your flock. But indirectly, another factor, like the high moisture level, can affect your bird also.
The increased moisture comes with bacteria and fungi that hinder the growth of your birds. Therefore, to keep your chicken safe in the rain, you must follow some extra precautions. Those are:
Feed
During the rain, keep the chicken feed dry. The dry feed will ensure sufficient water and vitamin supply to your birds. As a result, they will get enough energy to deal with the rainy and cold temperatures.
Shelter
During rain, ensure proper shelter for your chicken flock. Small chickens in pecking order may feel a problem heading toward the coop. Therefore ensure all your adult and small chickens are in a shelter during the rain.
Avoid Humidity And Moisture
Moisture provides fungi and bacteria and gives birth to parasites like intestinal worms. Therefore you have to provide a humidity and moisture-free area for your chickens during the rain.
Frequently Asked Questions
What to do with chickens when it rains?
They should have a place to hang out and scratch around when it rains. If your bird stands on a muddy or damp floor on a rainy day, it can lead to foot problems also. Therefore provide a shelter to your flock where they can easily get into during rain.
Should I let my hens out in the rain?
Yes! You can let your chicken be out in the rain. Light rain is a good food opportunity for your chicken.
Do chickens enjoy the rain?
As a general statement, we can’t say that all chickens love rain. Some breeds enjoy their time in the rain and searching for feed in the dirt. But some birds don’t like it.
Are chickens mad when wet?
Mad is a phrase that means extremely enraged, angry, or very exasperated. Usually, chickens are not furious, angry, or irate in the rain. Rather some chickens enjoy their time in the rain.
Wrap Up
Hopefully, this guide has been helpful to you. Now you know, “are chickens smart enough to get out of the rain or not”. As we already described, some bird types are smart enough to take shelter in the coop while it’s raining.
On the contrary, some are not. Rather these chickens enjoy their time in the rain. And they are in a rush to eat more bugs from the dirt. But mostly, when a chicken gets wet heavily, they seek shelter and get out of the rain by itself. So you have to ensure their proper access to protection whenever they need it.
However, for any further queries, you can comment. Soon we will reply to you.
