How Cold of Weather Can Chickens Stand Outside of Coop?

[junebuggena]

I say let the birds decide. If they get too cold, they know where shelter is.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I do believe most people keep access to the coop open if the birds are out.
I have not read of folks putting the birds out and locking them out of the coop.

So my info of course is based on chickens having the routine of
Open pop door at sun up
Birds get to decide if they want to go out or stay in.
Door closed when birds have gone to roost.

I only leave mine closed in if we have deep snow and temps of 10 or lower combined.
Ten degrees with no or light snow that pop door is open.

"Safe outdoor temps" depends on whether we have as keepers met the birds needs.
Food, water, shelter from wind and wet are needed.

 

[cowboyclayt]

Thanks y'all for the help!

 

[21hens-incharge]

Not sure I really "helped". I cannot say I really know how cold is to cold.
I just try to keep em happy and healthy.

 

[Mama Runner]

I guess I am the odd one out. My babies are spoiled rotten. I normally don't get cold. But once I got cold it was time to get the babies in the house. Yum yum can't be trusted so at night she has to go in the cage.

I guess I just want them to be warm and cozy. They get to play in the bathtub aka the warm pool.

 

[Faraday40]

Right now it's -9'F (-25'F outside with the windchill). Last night was colder with -14'F. Certainly not the coldest for our area, but pretty cold. I didn't bother opening up run today b/c I knew they wouldn't venture out to free range. I normally leave the door open & give them the choice. They tend to stay inside the coop/run area when it's single digits. If there's a lot of snow, they also stay inside.

Some breeds are better suited for the cold. My Bielefelders actually did far better in winter than the summer heat. My Sebright is smart enough to avoid excessive cold & stays out of the snow. On nights below zero, I make sure she's OK. As long as the coop/run area is draft free & dry, they do well.
Pic 1 was photo edited for fun, but the Pic 2 shows how she avoids the snow by flying into the trees or landing on my shoulder.

Right now I actually have a silkie with 2 LF orp chicks in the coop. (Silly bird insisted on being broody in Nov.) The chicks are 4 weeks old and doing fine. This is my 1st time with winter chicks. I'm surprised by how well they're doing. Thankfully, they're big enough to use the heated bucket waterer now. The mama is also smart enough to keep them inside the coop/run... away from potential hungry hawks.

My orp with a large comb may sometimes get a little frost-nip on the tips of his comb or bottoms of wattles (if he was eating snow). That's really the worst we have experienced here. Sometimes when the temps are so severely cold, there's not much you can do. These pics show the frostbite & then a month later when healing.


*Note: We do not bring our birds inside the house when it's cold. I feel they could go into shock from the huge temp swing. Their bodies gradually got used to the cold over several months, so to bring them inside is an instant 80 degree increase. When the temp diff is not as extreme, then the kids frequently bring their favs inside for play dates. LOL

 

[jvls1942]

chickens will make up their own minds about what is too cold. just leave the door open for a minute or so. If they go out, it is fine.
if they stay in, then that is their limit .
test them every day. open the door and notice what they do.
if it is such a cold day that you have to bundle up and really have to push yourself to go out, odds are that the chickens will stay inside..
jiminwisc where it was minus 17F this morning and warmed up to minus 5F as our high. no chickens outside..

 

[Blooie]

Here are two of my Silkies...not known for being particularly cold hardy....in the middle of the pack when the coop door was opened. It was 9 degrees outside. The other Silkies came out too, but I only got photos of Smudge (the Paint) and King Tut (the black one). If you look, they are dead center in the photo. I did nothing extra for my chickens in winter and we have extended periods of -20F and lower. Every day I opened the door when I went out to do chores and let them decide. Some stayed in, some came out, and some were in and out all day long.

 

[SueT]

Here's my little Sebright Moonshine today when it was 0º --- soaking up sunshine in the doorway.....she's my very favorite chicken, ever, and the only one I've really been concerned about. After tonight, we have a warm up coming. I very much appreciate you guys' comments and advice above, @Faraday40 , @jvis1942, and @Blooie and @21hens-incharge , and whoever else I forgot to mention.

 

[cowboyclayt]

So I heard some people feed their chickens extra corn in the winter. Do any of you do that?