Cold Weather??

[TGig]

I live in east texas and my run is shaped like this (not my picture) we have a tarp that covers half of it and across one the end. We have too coops inside of this. Its been down to freezing but will get into the teens next week. I don't put the girls into the coops at night, they free roam for a couple hours a day and go into the run on their own at dusk and I just lock the run up. The doors to the coops are open so they can go in if they want too. They prefer to just roost on top of the coops at night. With it getting so cold should I put them in the coops when it gets down that cold?
I don't have bedding per say in the coops, they have AstroTurf in their nesting boxes, should I put some shavings or hay in the rest of the coop for these really cold nights?
Thanks for the help in advance!!

 

[Welshies]

Yes put some bedding down, and lock them in the coops.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

They shouldn't be sleeping in the nests, they should roost.
Use the sign that they are sleeping on top of the buildings rather than in them as their preference. It gets to below zero F here and I know friends' chickens that prefer to sleep outside the coop.

If you think about it, there are tiny birds with fewer feathers than chickens like finches and wrens that overwinter without a building or heat. They are all adaptable to your climate - including chickens.

 

[MrsMistyReal]

Welcome aboard to BYC family gr8 people, tons of information,lots of fun, enjoy

 

[TGig]

They shouldn't be sleeping in the nests, they should roost.
Use the sign that they are sleeping on top of the buildings rather than in them as their preference. It gets to below zero F here and I know friends' chickens that prefer to sleep outside the coop.

If you think about it, there are tiny birds with fewer feathers than chickens like finches and wrens that overwinter without a building or heat. They are all adaptable to your climate - including chickens.

Thank you. I was kind of thinking the same thing. I will spread some bedding to just give them the option to roost if they so choose.

 

[TGig]

Yes put some bedding down, and lock them in the coops.

My only concern is they do not have access to water or food in the coop. We have it all set up in the run. I will spread bedding and they can always go inside the coop if they choose. Thanks for your help!

 

[Welshies]

My only concern is they do not have access to water or food in the coop. We have it all set up in the run. I will spread bedding and they can always go inside the coop if they choose. Thanks for your help!

Bring food and water inside then. They need 24/7 access to food in cold weather because food=body heat.

 

[Mraya]

My only concern is they do not have access to water or food in the coop. We have it all set up in the run. I will spread bedding and they can always go inside the coop if they choose. Thanks for your help!

I don't have a light in my coop so my chickens don't eat at night. My food and water is in my run which is a covered hoop like yours attached to the coop. The chickens go in the house at night when it gets dark and the food gets put up. I don,t put water in my coop because moisture means a greater chance of frost bite. Temps here have been below freezing and so far so good.

 

[junebuggena]

Bring food and water inside then. They need 24/7 access to food in cold weather because food=body heat.

They don't need food or water overnight. Once it's dark, chickens can't see where the food and water is even if they did want a midnight snack. There is no point to it being left in a coop at night.

 

[Mraya]

Oh and