5 degrees with 24 mph winds, can't get them back in the coop!

It's not heated - except by the sun. I guess on very cold, sunny days, I will keep them locked up. On days when it's cloudy, the temps are much closer inside compared to outside the coop, and I can let them out. I won't let them out on days like this again! (hopefully we won't have too many of them!)
How bad would it be to have gradual temperature differences? Right now the coop is 45 degrees, but late tonight it will probably get down to 20 degrees again. I want to do whatever is healthy for the chickens, even if it means they are cold sometimes.
 
Do you have good ventilation? It seems a bit extreme to have such a wide change so quickly. I doubt it's a good thing for them. The only time I've seen such extreme is a south facing glass room of my mom's house that doesn't have a fan or get air circulation so it can hit 90 when it's negatives out. If you have top vents to let the hot humid air out it shouldn't get 40 degrees warmer than outside. The humidity is probably rather high too which will lead to more chances of frostbite and respiratory illness. I'd actually be opening the door to let more air move through on sunny days and closing it as soon as possible when the sun starts to go down to try to even the temps out and get more air flow.
 
I think patandchickens nailed it for you. If is that much warmer in the coop on days like that you may want to consider increasing ventilation until the temperature difference is lower, say 10-20 degrees.
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I will crack the windows open just a little on sunny days.....guess my husband insulated too much!
 
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I don't see that as a problem... that is normal weather for anyone other than an indoor-living indoor-working human being
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Some animals have problems when you get occasional giant swings of weather, like it's 60 F in the morning and then an Alberta Clipper comes down and by dawn it's -10 F... but that's not what you're talking about
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JMHO,

Pat
 
Do you have a light on in the coop? Chickens cannot see in the dark at all and they will head for the light normally. I would say if its fifteen degrees or lower don't let them out, I know that can make it difficult with amonia build up but if the amonia gets to strong add some pine shavins and try to wait out the cold spell. Good luck to you and your flock. Paraclete 2
 

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