Single hen

[Old Speckled Hen]

Why oh why do we go to such great lengths to shelter our chooks, (and some of the efforts on this forum have been absolutely wonderful) , only for them to sit out in the pouring rain looking like drowned .... chickens .... ?

I have substantial hedges surrounding the garden, all chicken-shaped underneath but mine sit out in the rain looking like drowned .... chickens.

Even if I give them their afternoon treats in the run they will, when they've eaten, still go out and sit in the pouring rain looking like..... drowned chickens.

 

Rotten mother... I called them in with sweetcorn at lunchtime and locked them in it was so wet.

[Sandychick]

I am constantly amazed at how dim they can be when it rains. I've come to the conclusion that they don't actually mind getting soaked - if it bothered them that much, I'm sure they would figure out how to keep dry. I just let them potter about in the rain - they seem happier out and about getting wet than they do in the run. I always put them back in the covered run a bit earlier though, so they are dry and warm when they go to bed

[chooklady]

Mine got soaked the other day and I felt so guilty. But 2 are sneezing now, they must have got really chilled.

[Hen Watch]

Well last year when they were young, they would stand out in the rain and get bedraggled.

 

This year, older and wiser, they bolt inside the run and stay inside until the worst passes. Funny how they have changed since I've had them. Just grown up (a bit like children really)

[Mutrix Farmers]

Well last year when they were young, they would stand out in the rain and get bedraggled.

 

This year, older and wiser, they bolt inside the run and stay inside until the worst passes. Funny how they have changed since I've had them. Just grown up (a bit like children really)

 

Ditto

 

I've noticed that mine stay under the shelter of trees and shrubs when it rains now but before they would wander out at the first plop of a rain drop and stand there getting soaked!

[ValR]

That's a relief! I was really worried on Sunday when mine got drenched. I tried drying one of them with a towel, not very successfully. The other won't let me near her (after a week of anti-biotic pills!) so had to stay wet. I half expected 2 chooks with pneumonia the next morning. Maybe they'll learn too.

[Henhathnofury]

I have two who simply get wet. but a new chicken who shelters completely.

 

Her intelligence is greater than the other two in so many ways...it's odd.

 

I spent one afternoon with my other half, blowdrying the chickens. They loved it, sat like two ladies in a salon, then snuggled up in the towel with their eyes closing.

 

We laughed so much..how daft we are!