Chickens in winter

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jladdy

jladdy

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6 Years
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Hello! This is my chicken's first winter (they are about 8 months) and I always let them free range on our property. They have a large, beautiful, chicken coop they sleep, eat, and nest in. My question is, is it ok to let them free range on cold winter days? They have access to their coop at all times. Are they smart enough animals to know what they need to survive? I live in Montana and today it is 15degrees out, with a wind chill of -3. The chickens were out wandering around, in the horse shelters, out in the pastures, and are now huddled up under a lage brush/burn pile of old pine trees. Do I need to keep them locked in their house on these cold days, or is it ok to give them the choice? I would prefer to let them choose, but I don't want then to die (I love my girls!!)
 
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it is probably okay to let your chickens free range in the winter, because I have lots of free-range chickens that don't even have a coop; they roost in trees at night. As chickens get older and more weak, though, they need to either be kept in their coop or in the house, depending on how cold it gets.
 
Hello :frow and Welcome To BYC! X3 they should be fine free-ranging even on really cold days as long as they know where the coop is.
 
Thanks for all your responses!! I will leave their gate open and continue to let them choose. I have just read so much about frostbite and worry about their feet. The other day (the day I wrote the previous post) they were on their way back to the coop and had to stop along the way and sit down on their feet to warm them up.... Made me feel pretty bad... But I guess they're tough. It's a warm -1 below zero this morning and the girls are outside!!! Crazy chickens! Burr!!!!
 

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