do all of you free rangers coop the ladies up in the bad weather?

[cutlass1972]

I think I will stick with my program and keep them locked up until spring. I will just keep giving them goodies to keep them occupied.

 

[gritsar]

My free range flock is out all day, every day. When they head into the coop at dusk, I go out and lock them up for the night.
I don't add a heat lamp and wouldn't, unless we regularly experienced temps. below 0. IMO, get them all used to having a warm toasty coop and have the power go out and you'll have chilled birds. Chilled birds = sick birds, in a hurry.
The leaves are all gone from the trees, but they have other sources of cover - the outbuildings, the heavy undergrowth, under the coop. In addition I have a very watchful roo that warns the girls at the first sign of trouble.

 

[SurprisingWoman]

My girls free range in my just less than half an acre back yard.

Yesterday I could tell there was a hawk out there somewhere because all the song birds and red wing blackbirds had disappeared. I have NO idea where the girls were. They were not in the coop, I think they were under the spruce.

I have lots of places for them to duck and hide when they need to and I feed a ton of wild birds that act as a warning system.

They don't like the snow so I made paths through the snow to some of their favorite places.

 

[cybercat]

My flock is out all day free raning no matter the weather. Even with 2 inches of snow on the ground they are out. We do not pen our in at all no fence at all. Crows are your best friends when it comes to hawks they chase them away. Owls are another for you will not find them in the same area hunting. Having large chickens helps with hawks too as they can not carry them away. Unless you have the large breed of hawks that would be red tailed and Grouse(sp).

 

[Equus5O]

Unless it's windy, I open the gate. It's their choice to go out or stay in. They've chosen to go out in the rain and snow. If we're completely covered in snow, I don't open the run gate. Where are they going to go? I'm concerned that they'll go further out into the woods looking for bare ground. I've never kept them on coop lock-down, though. They do that by choice; when it's bitter cold with a serious wind chill, they choose to stay in the coop, even though their door is open.

 

[boxermom]

My birds free ranged until there was snow on the ground. After that, they wanted nothing to do with going out. So, mine have been locked in the barn since November. They are fine. They enjoy the treats they get. I try to give them something different every day, even if it's just corn thrown around. That keeps them occupied.

I think though, if there was no snow on the ground, they would be outside. I'm not sure they would have when it was -36!