I've read the preparing for winter thread, but notice most people have coops. My girls free range. I have RIR's, whites, and EE's. In anticipation of this big cold front, we built a covered area and put their food and water in it to entice them in. They hate it. Now, the weather channel has us down to 29 for up to 8 hours tomorrow night (far North Houston) and they won't go in. They are all up on their perch on a fence. It is blocked on one side from a wall, one side somewhat by tarps, but the other two are open. Will they be okay? We don't usually get this cold in November, so I was really expecting a couple more months. Should I wait until they go to roost tomorrow and pluck them up and make them go indoors? I know it isn't that cold compared to what so many have to deal with, but they don't have any real cover and won't go in.
How do you keep them safe from predators at night? Mine would have been picked off a long time ago by owls, coyotes and raccoons. If it's not raining or a wet, heavy snow and they're out of the wind, they should be fine.