[Gloria]

Hi guys
here in rainy city it has been torrential all afternoon and the hens are a bit bedraggled and glum :cry: What's best to do - bring them in our house to dry off :? or leave them in their  house for nature to do it? Solid rain is forecast for two more days here, can they get ill when they're soaked through?   :?:
Your experience is welcome

[richyrich7]

They should be able to dry off naturally, mine always have and been fine after.

 I've now covered my run as they seem unable to realise that it's best to go back indoors when it's raining  :?  

[Gloria]

Phew yes, glad you said that, since I wrote that I thought seriously about hens running and pooing round the kitchen :shock: not a pretty sight. So hopefully they'll be fluffed up and back to their normal selves by morning, their house is very snug

[Aunt Sally]

As long as they have some shelter to go under when it rains they can choose for themselves.  

It's summer now so very little danger of getting chilled from being wet.

[alan42]

lets not forget that chickens have been with us for hundreds of years and are a wild bird at heart like it or not our birds would do much better on there own without us giving them shelter food ect they thrive in the wild so i dont think a drop of rain is going to harm them as long as like aunt sally says you have provided shelter.
alan

[Gloria]

Yes you're right, my husband did say how do you think they survived in the jungle :oops: !!
Like Richyrich's mine don't seem to get the idea of shelter and seem to just want to stay in the mud.  :? Maybe they think they're ducks  :?:

[Aunt Sally]

The Jungle fowl Gallus gallus gallus (can't get any closer to the origin than that can you) came from Asia.  Nice hot climate, they have a large area to range and did not live in muddy conditions.  

http://www.centralpets.com/animals/birds/wild_birds/wbd4315.html

Our heavy earth bound chooks should not be kept in muddy conditions, especially in winter  :!:  Foot problems can be serious for them.

[alan42]

sally asia is as you say hot but it is in the jungle very humid and very muddy. chickens gone wild will roost up trees like phesants facing into the wind and not even notice its blowing a gale. asia in the wet season is 100 times weter than dear old blighty ever gets.
as you say there feet should not be in mud as foot rot can happen.
alan

[Aunt Sally]

as you say there feet should not be in mud as foot rot can happen.
alan

That's what I was trying to point out.  They should have the option of a bit of dry land.  

We don't want the chicken army getting trench foot  

[Fat Hen]

asia in the wet season is 100 times weter than dear old blighty ever gets.

Ee!  tha's ne'er bin to Blackpool then 'as thee lad?

Fat Hen