Goats and Chickens, thunderstorms?

[Canaqua]

This is a pretty stupid question, but I don’t know anything about goats and chickens.

We are taking care of the neighbor’s couple of goats and 10 chickens while she is on vacation. She is somewhere remote and unreachable by phone.

We let them out into their small, fenced, field in the morning, refill water and give them a little food. Put them back in their houses shortly before dusk and water and feed again. We can’t see the neighbors house, or the chicken and goat area from our house, we have to hike through the woods a bit.

It’s is looking like it will thunderstorm today, some light rain and rumbling so far. I can’t call the neighbor and ask her what she wants us to do.

Should we put the animals out? I wouldn’t put horses with metal shoes out in a big field with potential lightening, but what about goats and chickens, with no shoes in a small area close to the house? Can chickens get soaking wet? Will they go back in their house on their own if it’s raining too hard?

Should we let the animals out

[maunder]

Do they have any shelter at all in their field? Goats and chickens in general don’t like to get wet and prefer to be able to get out of rain.

If the field is attached to a shelter or coop they will run for it when it starts to rain.

[Canaqua]

[QUOTE=maunder;8256981]
Do they have any shelter at all in their field? Goats and chickens in general don’t like to get wet and prefer to be able to get out of rain.

If the field is attached to a shelter or coop they will run for it when it starts to rain.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, we leave the gate between the smaller area (that has the coop and the goat house) and the field open, they’ll be able to get to shelter. Sounds like we can let them out. I’d hate for them to be locked in all day. This is mostly the boys job, but he’ll be at camp all day, I can run down during the day if it starts to really storm and make sure they are getting to their houses.

[maunder]

My hens have stayed out in a shower occasionally, but usually everyone (goats, hens and sheep alike) dash for their shelters.

[Sswor]

If they have free access to shelter, yes, let them out. Yes, they will seek shelter if they need it and are able to access it.

[Canaqua]

:lol:

We had a big thunderstorm roll through here about an hour ago, torrential rain, then marble sized hail, lightening, enough wind to take some branches off my apple trees.

After it passed, I went down to check on the goats and chickens and they were all just fine. But, a piece of fence had blown down and all but one chicken and one goat were on the lam, in the woods or on the edge of a neighbors yard. They all came running back in when I shook a can of goat food, except for one hen. She made me track her all over the neighbor’s yard, calling “here chicky, chicky, chicky” and shaking my can (not that one ;)). She eventually agreed to let me grab her after I sat on the ground with food right near me until she couldn’t take it any more and came close.

Repaired fence best I could, will go back later with DH and some tools and do it properly.

[cowboymom]

Goats and chickens HATE to get wet!

[BigBayHanoMare]

We’ve got another wicked storm rolling through, I hope the fence got repaired or they’re in their respective shelters!

[Canaqua]

Second set of storms largely skipped us, just a little rain and some distant thunder. Boy went down and checked on the animals and they were all hiding in the goat house, including all the chickens. Storm is past now and it’s sunny again.

[cowboymom]

Having the same thing happening here today. :yes:

[maunder]

[QUOTE=Canaqua;8257927]
:lol:

We had a big thunderstorm roll through here about an hour ago, torrential rain, then marble sized hail, lightening, enough wind to take some branches off my apple trees.

After it passed, I went down to check on the goats and chickens and they were all just fine. But, a piece of fence had blown down and all but one chicken and one goat were on the lam, in the woods or on the edge of a neighbors yard. They all came running back in when I shook a can of goat food, except for one hen. She made me track her all over the neighbor’s yard, calling “here chicky, chicky, chicky” and shaking my can (not that one ;)). She eventually agreed to let me grab her after I sat on the ground with food right near me until she couldn’t take it any more and came close.

Repaired fence best I could, will go back later with DH and some tools and do it properly.[/QUOTE]

You are a very good caretaker! Nothing like having things like this happen when we’re caring for someone else’s pets. Glad you were able to get everyone back in!

[chism]

Hey Canaqua - I’m in the next town over and that was some crazy weather. My goats, chickens and horses were all out with access to shelter and every one did fine. There was one or two bolts of lightning that sent me shooting to the windows to check on them though.

[Canaqua]

[QUOTE=chism;8258214]
Hey Canaqua - I’m in the next town over and that was some crazy weather. My goats, chickens and horses were all out with access to shelter and every one did fine. There was one or two bolts of lightning that sent me shooting to the windows to check on them though.[/QUOTE]

That big storm, sometime between 2 and 3ish! I was watching from the front porch and there was a HUGE bolt of lightening, very, very close, I didn’t see where it hit the ground (hopefully not something else). Looked like it landed somewhere near 495, looking toward Chelmsford. I’ll be you saw the same one!