Does anyone let their chickens sleep outside?

[Cattle dog Mom]

In a secure run? I am also talking about "letting" them if they choose, rather than "forcing" them into a "hen house" during the hot months. I have been considering using an existing "building" as a "coop". Works great in the cooler weather. (Currently use it for my turkeys.) But it does get hot in there in the summer. Increasing cross ventilation really isn't an option due to the way it is constructed. With the current cost of lumber, I am really trying not to have to spend $9457864 on a new structure. Especially since I have never HAD chickens before and therefor not 100% sure it will be something I will want to do "forever".

 

[CraftyHen]

The chickens in my main coop can choose to go in coop or stay in the run overnight. The door from the coop itself to the run is a regular size doorway which used to have a door but now is a pair of curtains. Most will roost inside but I have 2 who insist on staying in the run, even in winter. (It is mostly covered in plastic to keep wind out). The coop/run is predator proof and is also inside a fenced area. My 2nd coop is not in a fenced area and the run is not as predator savvy as I'd like, so those gals do get locked up into their coop.

 

[jolenesdad]

My coop is a coop/run combo. There is no enclosed coop. It has a roof and three sides and it’s a totally enclosed space with hardware cloth panels. The roosts are just sitting in the corner.

 

[3KillerBs]

"Snow"? I'm not familiar with THAT word, haha.

Don't tempt fate with that statement. Look at what happened to Texas.

 

[NatJ]

If it's predator proof, and has a roof to keep off rain, I would just let them choose.

I just didn't know if that much of a temp drop would bother them if there was also any wind. I'm not necessarily talking about 40mph wind. But we very often DO get up to 20 or 30MPH wind with NO warning. (No warning as in it will say 5 to 7 mph winds on the forecast, yet it ends up MUCH higher than that!

Wire mesh will break up the wind somewhat, so inside the run won't be quite as bad as outside. For the summer, the wind is probably not a problem unless it's blowing the chickens themselves around. Chickens are reasonably good about going into a sheltered place if they need to.

If the wind usually comes from a particular direction, maybe you could put something on just that side to block it--tarp or plywood or siding or whatever else is available. Even the empty bags chicken food came in could block wind, although I'm not sure how you'd keep them from blowing away.

 

[NatJ]

Does shade cloth further "break up" wind? (Never used it, but I would think SO.) As I will also be needing to put up SOMETHING for shade, preferable that doesn't also trap heat. Just doing my typical over thinking! LOL

Yes, shade cloth would break up wind, too.

Have you tried opening a window in a house, with the screen on or off? It's surprising what a difference things like screen or fabric can make. Air still goes through, but it has to slow down.

For shade without trapping heat: whether you use a solid roof or shade cloth, you could put it at an angle. That way instead of heat rising and sitting underneath, the heat can keep rising up along the slope and go out the top edge.

 

[Cattle dog Mom]

We recently had temps in -20s F and all my chickens were fine.

Yeah, I know they are much better with cold than heat. I just didn't know if that much of a temp drop would bother them if there was also any wind. I'm not necessarily talking about 40mph wind. But we very often DO get up to 20 or 30MPH wind with NO warning. (No warning as in it will say 5 to 7 mph winds on the forecast, yet it ends up MUCH higher than that!

 

[Chick-N-Fun]

I live in Upstate NY, have a secure, roofed, predator proof run and lots of room in my 2 coops, but several of my chickens prefer to roost outdoors in the run....even in the frigid NY weather. I have tried to bring them in and close the coops, but I gave up!

Most of my flock roost indoors, but several are happiest roosting in their run. So far, they continue to be healthy & happy. Some have a little frostbite on the tips of their combs, but it doesn’t seem to bother them enough to go inside!!!

 

[ackie]

I let my chickens sleep literally outside. My main concern with a run would just be making it predator proof since I assume they wont be roosting up high enough to be safe without it.

 

[3KillerBs]

I'm building an open-air style coop. The chickens will roost where they choose to roost -- either in the protected end or in the more open end.

I figure that as long as I give them the option to choose they know how to be chickens better than I know how to be a chicken.