Cold weather: free range or keep cooped?

[Mrs. K]

Let them choose. I would shut the pop up door at - 25 F. Seriously if they can get into shelter, they will if the need too. Last year I was watching mine, it was -19, but the sun was shining. I saw a ball of ice on the foot of one of my birds, she kind of limped. I watched carefully, she held her foot up close to her, and it melted immediately. Chickens produce a lot of heat.

Mine have shelters, for wind breaks, and they like fresh air.

 

[Not-so Slick Chicken]

I let ours free-range as much as possible. Especially on poor weather days (summer heat, stormy, etc)

They're quite close to a barn, and that provides good protection from weather as well as space to entertain themselves and dust bathe.

I also feel it may help them be happier and less agitated or bored if they regularly free range.

I try to mostly save "treats" (scratch grain, alfalfa hay) for days they can't be out.

 

[FrostRanger]

I agree with letting them choose and unless you have very young chicks or very old birds who can't take the cold anymore, chickens don't need heat at those temps. It's not until you get below zero that you have to start worrying about the cold. Just make sure they can get out of the wind and have plenty of draft free ventilation, they will be just fine in those temps

 

[neo71665]

I open the coop door and let them choose.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I opened the coop door today (8°F), but the chickens decided to say inside. But not because of the cold, oh no. The problem was the white stuff on the ground that they've never seen before, and as if that wasn't enough, the sky was falling. We'll try again tomorrow.

 

[Mrs. K]

Pitch a bit of bedding on top of snow, they will go right out!

 

[GooseMom111]

I opened the doors… and no one budged! It’s about 10 degrees right now. No one wanted to leave the coop so I just put some food and water in there for them.

We were10 degrees warmer, but I had the same experience, chickens were happy to stay in the coop, so I fed and watered them in the coop. Worked pretty well and they came out the following day.

 

[Demarvell]

Temps in high teens tonight, around 30 in the day. Coop is warm/heated. Question is: Should i let them out today to forage a bit? Or keep cooped??

Ground is frozen but they can eat grass, etc.

Thoughts?

If they are cold, they will go back in the coop. Let them decide.

 

[Greenwolf]

Temps in high teens tonight, around 30 in the day. Coop is warm/heated. Question is: Should i let them out today to forage a bit? Or keep cooped??

Ground is frozen but they can eat grass, etc.

Thoughts?

My birds are outside all day in those temps, even when there's several feet of snow. We clear the snow throw down some straw and let them out to play. Birds get cabin fever too!

 

[Greenwolf]

Let them choose. I would shut the pop up door at - 25 F. Seriously if they can get into shelter, they will if the need too. Last year I was watching mine, it was -19, but the sun was shining. I saw a ball of ice on the foot of one of my birds, she kind of limped. I watched carefully, she held her foot up close to her, and it melted immediately. Chickens produce a lot of heat.

Mine have shelters, for wind breaks, and they like fresh air.

Your birds are even hardier than mine! I keep the doors shut at -15 C unless it's been a long run of -25 to -30C then I open the doors make sure they have access to warm food and fresh hay/straw. Wow! Colder than that and they won't move outside unless they absolutely have to! Wow!!