Keeping Chickens Newsletter

Currently looking quite dry…

Faith Carr : 4 of my chickens will NOT get out of the rain! Look up BEDRAGGLED and there will be a picture of 4 soggy multi colored lumps. I live in Florida so the coldest they get is only 40F, but being new to it, I worry. Heck, I even set up last years beach umbrella (THAT freaked them the heck out) and put out small dishes of hot grits to try to coax them under... All they did was walk around in a circle from dish to dish under that silly umbrella.. Looked like a carnival ride for Thumbalina! 3 of the girlies stayed in the coop (my husband refers to them as the "Smart Ones") and laid my breakfast nicely. Next time should I catch them (sqwak sqwuak) and lock 'em up or are they just "wild" chickens of the range?

My Reply : It's strange, but in a lot of flocks it is often divided with several going for cover as soon as it rains, and others just carrying on as usual (and ending up like drowned rats). Many people have found themselves soaked to the skin trying to herd their chickens in out of the rain, only to find them straight back out there again - I think it's their little joke on us I don't know why it is, perhaps the noises of wind and rain are more unsettling to some from inside the coop than outside...
...or perhaps they are just not very smart!