Sheltering from the rain.

[Col1948]

When it rains my girls shelter in a few places, under the trampoline, under a kids play house that is raised off the ground, under a bush and under some garden seats, but they never go in the coop only to lay and egg or to sleep at night.
Seems strange they have a good shelter in the coop but they prefer to stand under those other places, anyone else got chickens that don't go in the coop when it rains?

 

[Matilda Belle]

My very unintelligent silkies like to stand out in the rain. I don't get it. Maybe it helps with bugs?

 

[GC-Raptor]

It's raining here at the moment. My hens are currently under their raised coop. They only go in the coop to eat, sleep and lay.
When I let them free range an hour before sunset, weather permitting, if it's pouring rain, I don't let them free range. But in a moderate rain, they will hang out under my boat, car or deck. . A light rain doesn't bother them, they continue to forage, just not as far from shelter. . GC

 

[woodmort]

Varies by bird. I have some that only come out when it is sunny and others who don't seem to know to get out of the rain. A few that, when they discover it's raining or snowing blame me.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Probably depends on set up. My coop is the only real cover from rain... there's a few covered areas in the run but all the chickens can't fit, and there's less protection on the sides, so if the rain really starts coming down, they'll all follow each other back to the coop.

 

[aart]

Most of mine will shelter under the coop, the only shelter in run.
Only a 4x8 space but they'll all(15-20) cram in there rather than going back into coop.
They do go in to lay...then back out again. SMH.