How Cold of Weather Can Chickens Stand Outside of Coop?

[Lacy Duckwing]

I've given my hens hot oatmeal and some times cayenne pepper. I heard about someone giving their chickens chilli, and their chickens would lay.

 

[Larry55]

Easiest way to tell if ur chickens are cold is to stick ur finger under the feathers and touch their skin. If its warm u are all good. Proper ventilation in coop is essential. Deep litter method will warm up coop some as will their body heat. I figure if sparrows and other assorted birds can handle the weather with no shelter then my birds are good. However some birds arent meant for the colder weather. So picking proper breeds for ur area is essential.

 

[pamonarch]

I have BO, PBR, Australorps, and RIR. our winter this year was freezing and below -0 .. with windchill some days -20. My birds coop is the entire barn. They free range so no doors. They are all healthy and well. They stopped laying eggs for the first time ever this winter for 1.5 months due to freezing temps. Warm oatmeal breakfast and warm water is a treat during this time. Other then that they are obvious very cold hardy birds. So I can't say what is too cold.. some breeds are hardier then others.

I, too was concerned about the cold, but they did great! I am shocked at how tough chickens are..lol. My girls laid eggs all winter so far,between 10 and 14 eggs everyday...that's alot of eggs, lol...but friends and family are enjoying them as well. I do have one BO that is molting...brrrrr...not sure what she is thinking, but guess nature is like that...*shrug*

 

[Chelsa'sChicks]

I had one australorp molt in the winter 20 degrees F or colder. I felt so bad for her. What terrible timing, and I thought for sure she would freeze. All is well though! Very tough animals.

 

[pamonarch]

I had one australorp molt in the winter 20 degrees F or colder. I felt so bad for her. What terrible timing, and I thought for sure she would freeze. All is well though! Very tough animals.

Awwww, poor girl! So glad she managed it well! Yes, they sure did surprise me by staying warm,even when it was well below zero in the coop...sure says something about down comforters..lol

 

[Angela Thomson]

No heat in my coop either! My Australorps are tough chicks!

 

[Chelsa'sChicks]

Yeah honestly one of my favorite breeds for that reason. Intelligent, reliable and moderately brave.

 

[Larry55]

Ok there is an easy way to tell if ur chickens are cold. Simply take ur finger and touch skin underneath wing area on chickens body. If it feels warm or hot ur all good. I dont advocate heaters because if it ever goes out for any reason then ur chickens will be really cold. If wild birds can survive the winter without shelter then ur birds who have shelter will be fine. U can make them some hot oatmeal on a cold day to help them out a bit. Or a hot grain mash too.

 

[maurer]

our polish mix hen (Charlie) had decided this winter that flock life was not for her, because of the roosters. and refused to stay with the flock or go back to the coop at night... instead, she would roost in our rhododendrons. the cheeky girl had my kids in tears over this. the coldest night she was outside the coop it was 25 and raining (fabulous freaking pa weather) but apparently, the rhododendrons kept her warm and dry enough for the overnight. unfortunately for her, and the roosters, she's no longer allowed out of the coop/run until spring. and the roosters have been "excommunicated" from the flock to their own area.

 

[SW31]

Our temperature here is milder than yours. So far lowest is minus 6 C. Our problem is the birds don’t like too much sun even in winter!

This thread raised the issue of risk from a large change in temperature so I’d like to ask a question. I still have two chickens I’m nursing, following a dog attack, living in a large run and hen house in my hall. Our house has central heating and is warm at night. We have not put the outer insulation on the hen house. When the hens feathers have grown back I need to put them back outside. One hen has now restarted to lay eggs, with ear splitting screaming for several hours. We are planning to put them outside by end of February, adding the insulation cover to the hen house. Will the hens be ok outside?