How cold is too cold for chickens?

[Callacda]

I live in St Tammany Parish, 40 miles north of New Orleans. I am not sure I should let my chickens out of their coop today because of the severe cold. It won't be 38 degrees F. until 12 pm, with wind chill of a lot colder. I have a rooster with large waddles and comb. We don't usually have weather this cold around here for so long as with this winter blast. I'm not sure when I should let them out. I was thinking about 1pm when it is supposed to be 40. But I hate to think of them being cooped up too long. I put food and water in the coop. I have had chickens since 2020, and I can't remember doing this before. Just want to know from someone with more experience than me, maybe from much colder areas.

 

[kattabelly]

They'll be absolutely fine at those temperatures. Just make sure they have somewhere they're able to get out of the wind and any rain or snow.

 

[Bsmac]

That won`t be a problem as @kattabelly mentioned! I have let ours out at temps much lower than that in a dry wind protected and well ventilated run!

 

[Ridgerunner]

I live in St Tammany Parish, 40 miles north of New Orleans.

Hi, neighbor. We are not used to this for sure. Our houses are not built for this.

I've kept chickens further north in colder weather than this. Our temperatures are not a problem, they can handle much colder. Our problem is the wind. I was just outside, that wind (about 20 mph) is nasty. It is around 30 F here. You are probably a bit colder right now. The next ten days don't look a lot better temperaturewise but the winds die down some.

Wind chill is real, but only if you are in the wind. If you are out of the wind, it does not exist. But that is not your problem. Chickens keep warm by trapping tiny bit of air in their down where it acts as insulation. That's why a down coat is so warm. If a wind hits the chickens and ruffles the feathers those air pockets can escape. Then they can get cold.

If you look at a feather, that thin fluffy stuff at the base is the down. That's what traps the air pockets. Further up the shaft are the stiffer barbs. The barbs protect the down, keep it from being blown around. The way the feathers lay they can be pretty effective if the chicken is facing into the wind but are not worth much if the wind comes from another direction.

I'd open the pop door and give them the option to go out if they want to. If they can stay out of the wind they probably will. I've had chickens out enjoying the morning on a calm day with temperatures below 0 F. If the wind is blowing they get behind something or go inside.

 

[farmer90]

I was also worried as nearing to my first winter as a chicken keeper. In the midst of winter I can assure you that chicken are very cold hardy. The lowest here has been this winter so far -22 degrees Celsius. I make sure they are out of wind and have plenty of ventilation. They seem all happy and healthy. None of them don't have any signs of frostbite, the only problem I encounter is that the eggs freeze before I can collect them.

 

[2ndTink]

If they have a place out of the wind they will be fine with those temperatures. Since they aren't used to this cold, just watch them, if they start looking chilled lock them back up.

We are low teens today and a slight breeze but the sun is shining so most of the chickens are outside. We were in the 60's 2 weeks ago before this cold came back in, so not exactly used to the cold here either.