Woah, the wind!

[Mishyk]

We are having gusts up to 50mph today. I watched a gust blow Goldie over as she ran. They opted to stay under the coop. This is only the chickies 2nd full day in the coop and run.

I did not realize it started to rain as well and I got pelted as I tried to get them into the coop. They were huddling underneath, getting damp. I got them all inside the coop. Now the storm and wind has stopped but its 7pm. It will be dark in an hour. I am weighing if I should let them out to run around and dry off or just let them relax for the night.

Also, their food got damp. Is it ok to let them eat moist food tomorrow or should I scrap it?

 

[Brooks_]

Yeah, let them out. The food should be fine too. I've had food get full on rained on and they still ate it. I would discard any food still left at end of day tomorrow though.

 

[Mrs. K]

If your coop is open, so that they can enter it at will, or leave it at will, that is best. A little rain and wind won't hurt them.

 

[3KillerBs]

Once the chickens know where their home is and go in and out of the coop readily you can just let them decide how much weather they want to experience.

I used intact straw bales to make wind baffles in my run for winter in case they wanted to get out of a storm. I've seen them foraging in their run in between the rain bands of tropical storms and I have a thread about them hanging out in rain that was barely above freezing. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/wet-hens.1442537/

Chickens know how to be chickens better than we know how to be chickens.

 

[aart]

This is only the chickies 2nd full day in the coop and run.

How old are they?

Also, their food got damp. Is it ok to let them eat moist food tomorrow or should I scrap it?

How much feed got wet...and is it crumble, pellets, cracked grains?
If not much, I'd maybe dump it.
Or spread it out somehow and let it dry before mold forms.

 

[neo71665]

My crazy chickens love the rain. I wouldn't be worried about too much wet food unless it molds. What kinda feeders you using that allows it to get wet?

 

[AntiqueB]

We had a a very gusty day yesterday, too. Then girls stayed under the deck for most of the day, but did come out in the evening to forage. The wind bothers them a lot less when it's warmer out!

I feed in regular pet bowls, raised up, and I don't keep overnight any food that gets wet. Mainly, that's because I want to wash the bowls to make sure no mold develops on bits of leftover food; I usually feed moistened food anyway, and wash the bowls nightly. If rain is in the forecast, I keep the bowls in a covered part of the run.

 

[Mishyk]

My crazy chickens love the rain. I wouldn't be worried about too much wet food unless it molds. What kinda feeders you using that allows it to get wet?

This is my feeder. I am in the process of building a cover for it but its not done yet.

I was worried because they are only 7 weeks old.

 

[Chuckie chicken]

I'm totally new to chickens. They arrived two weeks ago yesterday, and have been let out of their covered run at least twice daily for several hours for a week now. It has been cold and rainy here, and we also had 50 mph wind gusts yesterday. I figured I'd let chickens be chickens, let them.oit and see what they'd do. They carried on life as normal, maybe stayed a bit closer to the run, but still had fun scratching around and most got soaked by choice. Whenever I come to let them out, it's a stampede to the door!

 

[3KillerBs]

This is my feeder. I am in the process of building a cover for it but its not done yet.

This is my feeder/waterer shelter. Not the best-looking thing on earth, but it's come through tropical storms and a very wet winter.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/an-outdoor-shelter-for-the-feeder-and-waterer.76487/