Can Chickens Drown In The Rain? Keep Them Safe!

Like most of the country as of this writing, my home is engulfed in some serious rain, and it reminded me of when we first got chickens and how I panicked when it started to rain. 

Like many, I’d heard of some myths around chickens that they’ll sometimes just stare up into the falling water until they drown. 

I didn’t want my chickens to go out this way, so I did some research into the question of if chickens can drown in the rain. 

Chickens cannot drown in the rain by staring up at it. Even if they look for a while and ingest some water, their instincts will kick in, and they’ll take shelter. Chickens enjoy the rain and will come out in light rain to get the various bugs and worms that crawl out of the ground. 

Still, there are some things and further clarification needed around chickens and rain and water, so keep reading for more details. 

Can Rain Kill Chickens?

Rain cannot kill chickens as it is; however, too much rain may lower their body temperature to the point where they suffer from hypothermia. Rain may also cause large puddles or bodies of water to overflow, which may drown chickens if they panic or can’t get to safety. 

Outside of this small chance, you don’t have much to worry about. 

Chickens aren’t like turkeys; they have some good survival instincts and will seek shelter if the rain is too much. 

Of course, this only applies to adult chickens; chicks should stay inside (read more on this later). 

Most chicken owners and experts will agree that leaving your coop open is the best option. 

Some chickens will happily go out while others will stay inside. Trust them to know what’s best for them in most cases. 

Obviously, if you know a big storm is coming, you may want to close them inside so they don’t get caught up in a sudden surge of wind and rain. 

If you’re worried at all, it’s also perfectly fine to just keep them locked. 

Make sure they have plenty of ventilation, water, and food, and they’ll be just fine…if a little bored. 

You may also want to check out our guide on how many waterers you need per chicken (including helpful tables!).

Can Baby Chickens Drown In The Rain?

Baby chickens can drown in the rain if caught off guard, or they get trapped in a body of water without a way to escape. The bigger problem is the temperature drop that comes from getting wet. Always keep chicks inside if there’s rain coming. 

Chicks already have a lower probability of surviving their first 6 weeks.

The common statistic thrown around is that 5% of chicks will die before becoming adults. 

While it’s cute and fun to let them roam around and start searching for their own food, caring chicken owners need to be watchful. 

You can’t save them all, but leaving them outside in the rain is a sure-fire way to lose your chicks. 

In the first 6 weeks of life, keep a close eye on your babies and the weather to give them their best chance of survival. 

Can Hens Stay Out In The Rain?

It’s perfectly safe to leave hens out in the rain as long as they can easily reach the safety of their coop and the air temperature isn’t too low (around 50° Fahrenheit or 10° C). 

Full disclosure: Our hens are under a bit of cover from nearby trees, so they always have some blockage from the heavy rain. 

Can Chickens Sleep In The Rain?

Chickens cannot sleep in the rain. Their instincts will kick in to help them find a safe and warm space to rest. If you find a chicken dozing off in the rain, something is wrong. 

While chickens don’t mind the rain, as we’ve talked about, the water does cause their body temperatures to drop. 

In time, this may cause severe health problems. 

In almost every case, adult chickens will seek shelter well before this happens. 

At night, most chickens will seek the safety of their coop anyway, as most of their natural predators come out at night, so you’ll likely never have to worry about this. 

Still, it always pays to check out your poultry near nighttime when it rains and maybe close them in. 

The extra moisture in their coops isn’t the best thing either. 

Can Chickens Swim?

Chickens can swim, but they don’t do it very well. If left in a large body of water, they’ll get tired and drown. Their feathers aren’t designed to be water-repellent like other waterfowl such as ducks and geese. 

The show FRIENDS was one of the most popular sitcoms of all time, and two of the characters very famously had a pet chicken and a pet duck. 

This has inspired many people (my family included) to keep chickens and ducks together as pets! 

Seeing how well they get along, you may start to wonder if the chickens can hang with their aquatic friends in the water. 

No. Don’t do it. 

Yes, chickens have a swimming instinct that’ll help them in an emergency, but outside this, it’s not good for them.

Think about how chickens have evolved and their features. 

• They can’t fly. 
• They don’t have webbed feet. 
• Their feathers aren’t water-proof. 
• Their legs are less muscled. 

Putting them in water (or if they get in some on their own) isn’t a huge danger right off the bat, but they need a safe place to get out at quickly in case they tire or get too cold. 

Can Chickens Drown In Water?

All chickens can drown in any body of water deeper than they are tall, though most will be OK for a short period of time. Always make sure any water buckets or containers you use are shallower than their height and that there is an easy way to get out if they fall in. 

There are many famous stories of chickens drowning in their water buckets, and while this is rare, it is possible. 

This is why the water in a container for chickens should never be deeper than their height. 

Most chickens don’t drown in small bodies of water, but there are exceptions to this rule. 

Obviously, chicks don’t swim well and are much weaker than their adult counterparts, so be aware when you have little ones. 

A hen’s personality also makes a big difference. 

A calm or mild personality of a chicken will fall into the water, flounder a bit, and then right herself and get out. 

A panicked, stressed, or generally high-strung chicken won’t. These are the ones you hear the stories about. 

Tips For Helping Wet Chickens

Sometimes no matter what you do, your chickens will get wet. 

It’s just a part of life!

It’s not a dire situation (unless they get too wet), but even so, you’ll want to know how to help your feathered friends. 

Check out these tips from our experience and other experts on what to do if your hen gets too wet. 

Gently Rub The Water Off Them

Water removes heat like nobody’s business. 

This is why we sweat, after all! It lowers our body temperature. 

Chickens shouldn’t have to deal with this, and while their feathers are water-resistant, they aren’t water-proof. 

Take a soft towel or even just your hands and gently smooth their feathers down from the back down their sides. 

Getting the water off is the first step. 

Don’t worry about “drying them off.” Their bodies are designed to handle it, but by doing some easy wiping, you’ll speed the process along. 

Don’t rub against their feathers or rub roughly. 

You’ll make things worse by possibly breaking off some of their feathers, make them colder, and offer even less protection from the water. 

Make Sure The Coop Is Warm Enough

If the weather is cold, check the temperature of the coop and make sure it’s warm enough. 

Chickens are pretty good at gathering and huddling to keep each other if one of them has gotten wet, so no need to worry there. 

It’s only a big concern if the weather is cold such as in late fall or winter. 

Ensure Good Ventilation

Ventilation is a must at all times with chickens. 

They are notorious for developing respiratory issues, and moisture is one of the leading factors in causing this. 

Even if they’re wet, make sure the air inside the coop isn’t too humid and allow some vent for the air to escape and recycle with fresh air. 

Provide A Dry Dust Bath

Cuddling, moisture, and the whole situation may cause mites and other bacteria to grow on your hens. 

How do you combat this?

You don’t need to! (Unless it’s really bad, then ask a vet!). 

Just make sure the next time they go outside, they have a dry place to do their dust bath, which helps to fight these problems. 

If it’s been really rainy, you may have to do some work to find some dry dirt, but it’s necessary. 

Replace Bedding If Needed

One thing I see new owners forget about all the time is the bedding in the coop. 

I’m a big advocate for leaving it alone for the most part and making one that you don’t have to mess with other than to cover it up (it also makes great compost and fertilizer in-between seasons!). 

But bedding breeds mold and bacteria when it gets wet, so always check it out after heavy rain to make sure it’s not starting to grow.