4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[kaha]

We have had three ex-batts for about three months now and all seem to be doing really well and doing all the normal chickeny things (as far as I know, having never had experience of chickens before), and laying an egg each per day but was wondering, is it normal for them to not shelter from rain and carry on as normal in it and get absolutely drenched to skin so appear to be third of normal size? If not, do ex-batts usually twig eventually and get undercover? They seem quite clever in other ways.

Advice keenly appreciated- don't like to keep putting them back in their run, they love to free range so much!

[esta]

Don't worry, some of my chooks hang around in the rain and get drenched too, but the bantams are clever and hide! The big chooks just love scrating around, leave them to it, they would shelter if it was really bad! maybe put something in the area they rome so they might be encouraged to go under??

 

hope i helped x

[daj198]

Mine are in the rain right now

 

They will get used to taking shelter when it rains hard but ex-batts don't seem to mind light rain that much.

[Chickybaby]

Mine love the rain and often go to bed soaking wet. There are plenty of bushes to hide under and I even leave our parasol up so they can shelter under the garden table but they often prefer to peck around in the rain. Rain = worms, at least that's what I think they think!

[*mummy_hen*]

I have ex-batts and they don't seem to mind the rain at all - infact one of them tried to go to sleep outside in it earlier. As we have only had them about 10 days, we pop them back in but that is because we have a few pretty bare ones and i wouldn't want them to catch a chill. If they are fully feathered then as far as i can gather....it does them no harm!

[abwsco]

Mine seem to love the rain. They were soil coloured yesterday as they'd stayed out in it nearly all the time it was raining having a digging frenzy!

[Egluntyne]

Mine love the rain too.

 

I love the sight of a wet hen.

[poachedegg]

Mine love the rain too.

 

I love the sight of a wet hen.

 

Ours look like Punk Rockers when they are wet!

[shaun]

Yep ours love the rain too - though they have got places to shelter, should they wish - a plastic crate, table, folded sheet of corrugated plastic, their house - however, they seem to prefer the wet!

[Abbey Road Girl]

kaha, you have given your ex-batt hens the elemental enviornment that was their birthright their ancestors had enjoyed until factory farms were invented.

 

At least that's a nice way of thinking about it!

[buffie]

Ditto, if they are well the rain won't hurt them.

 

Ours seem to be making the most of 'all' weathers

 

BBx