How long can chickens stay in freezing weather?

[MKetter]

South Dakota, it has only happened twice in my memory, once with chickens. They were fine.

Opening the screen door with a bare hand frost burned. But the girls were out in the sun the next day.

I’m surprised chickens can take that level of cold. I understand they have a down coat, but their feet? Or wattles? Oo-wee! Brr.

 

[Mrs. K]

It was dang cold, but they were fine, did not loose one. I think a rooster lost a few points on his comb. But healed right up.

They can take a lot more cold if out of the wind.

 

[FrostRanger]

I’m surprised chickens can take that level of cold. I understand they have a down coat, but their feet? Or wattles? Oo-wee! Brr.

Also know that some breeds are more cold hardy than others, a faverolle for example will be able to handle the cold with their pea comb and feathered feet better than a white leghorn which have huge combs and tend to be scrawny

 

[Hen Hoarder]

Chickens normally go out shortly after sunrise, around 7 a.m. As you can see with the attached image, the temperature will be below freezing for a couple hours and in the 30s until noon. I’ve seen that chickens tolerate cold better than heat but this? Can the chickens go out with 20° temperatures? If so, should they come back in after a certain amount of time? They don’t have a coop. I would have to bring them into the garage.


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Make sure they have a place out of the wind and in the sun and they will sit there all day!

 

[Mikee2u]

My neighbor is known as crazy ckn lady. She won't keep her chickens home. They tear out my mulch looking for bugs i assumed. I'd run them off with a leaf blower and before I'd get in the house here they were scratching again. After numerous attempts to tell her I decided I'd be nasty and just feed them cracked corn. Now, I've gone and done it. I've named all of her birds and they'll come to me when I call a certain name. I lose. She wins with free food.

 

[Mikee2u]

She's known as crazy because she has 8 hens and 4 roosters. They constantly fight until one gets injured. Duh! Im not a smart man on chickens but, I believe the ratio is 6 to 8 per rooster.

 

[GardenDmpls]

Chicken body temp is usually in the range of 105-107F, but in the cold they can speed up their metabolism and raise it to 109-113F. This is why some give their chickens cracked corn before bedtime, as it gives an extra supply of food to keep their metabolism higher over-night. Different varieties have differing abilities to do this, as genetics plays a role. Chickens fluff their feathers when they have a need to trap heat in an air layer between the feathers and the skin. I make sure their roost boards or flat so they can squat down over their feet, covering them with a layer of feathers.

 

[gtaus]

Keep in mind many folks keep chickens in areas with extended cold winters without need for supplemental heat.

I live in northern Minnesota. We get temps down to -35F in the dead of winter, sometimes in a stretch for a short week at a time. I have never lost a chicken to cold weather.

I always have fresh water on a base heater and feed in a hanging 5-gallon bucket available 24/7. I keep my waterer and feeder inside my coop, out of the cold blowing wind. Even at -35F, my water does not freeze sitting on top of the base heater in the coop.

What about eggs? I know they can freeze.

Depending on the temps, I have to check my nest boxes 2 or 3 times per day. Even so, in the dead of winter, I will end up with some frozen and cracked eggs. I'll just wash them off, let them thaw out overnight in the refrigerator, and eat them for breakfast the next day.

I have about 10 chickens and when it gets really cold, I only get maybe 2 or 3 eggs per day. Sometimes no eggs. The chickens know how to protect themselves and egg production goes way down in the winter.

...somehow prevent drafts from the winds.

The chickens have a body temp around 105F. They fluff up their feathers and trap warm air against their body. A draft coming up from below them at night can rob them of that trapped air. Chickens need good ventilation, but not drafts.

If, for some reason, it dips to freezing during the day, you'll just have to check for eggs more often on those days. If any freeze, they may crack, and those I'd thaw and cook up to feed back to the chickens. If any freeze and don't crack, they're still good and edible eggs.

We eat all our cracked and frozen eggs. After an egg freezes, the texture changes. So, think of scrambled eggs or baking eggs at that point once the egg thaws out. But you don't have to cook them up and feed them back to your chickens unless that is what you want. In any case, don't waste them.

I don’t worry about my chickens until it is colder than NEGATIVE 35, below zero. They have lived just fine at that.

Same here. Just make sure they still have fresh water and feed.

... high humidity is far more dangerous than the cold itself in those temps

Humidity leads to frostbite. Frostbite can be bad even at much warmer temps.

Unless you have a climate-controlled coop, I don't know how to lower the humidity other than having good ventilation. Still, in my case, my humidity inside the coop is the same as outside the coop.

When mine wake up to a white world (it snowed overnight) mine won't go out in it for a couple of days.

Last year I learned that all I had to do was toss a thin layer of saved leaves on top of the snow, and the chickens will go outside even on the coldest of days. They just stay on the leaves and won't walk on the snow itself.

I’m surprised chickens can take that level of cold. I understand they have a down coat, but their feet? Or wattles? Oo-wee! Brr.

Chickens are smart enough to either stand on one foot, tucking the other inside their feathers to get it warm, or they go back into the coop out of the wind and snow. My chickens are in and out all the time in the winter, whereas in the non-snow months, they usually stay outside all day unless laying an egg.

Also know that some breeds are more cold hardy than others,

Exactly. I bought breeds that were proven cold hardy for my location. So far, I have not lost any birds to cold weather. If I had a breed that did not do well in the winter, I would just not get that breed again.

Chicken body temp is usually in the range of 105-107F, but in the cold they can speed up their metabolism and raise it to 109-113F. This is why some give their chickens cracked corn before bedtime, as it gives an extra supply of food to keep their metabolism higher over-night.

I do the cracked corn before bedtime in the winter months. Does it help? I can't say for sure other than they seem to want a little extra before bedtime in the winter. I just bought a 100# sack of cracked corn for $16.20 at the feed mill. That will last my 10 chickens all winter used as a treat before bedtime.

Chickens fluff their feathers when they have a need to trap heat in an air layer between the feathers and the skin. I make sure their roost boards or flat so they can squat down over their feet, covering them with a layer of feathers.

Yep, I have my 2X4's laid flat so the chickens can tuck their feet up into their bodies and keep everything warm at night. They also fluff up their feathers and look almost 2X bigger sleeping on the roost bar.

Truth be told, my chickens do better in the cold weather than I do. But all my chickens are relatively young and healthy. I'm not so young and healthy anymore and when it gets down to -35F in the dead of winter, I am suffering just to go outside to check on the chickens and gather eggs twice a day. Good luck with your chickens this winter.

 

[FrostRanger]

I do the cracked corn before bedtime in the winter months. Does it help? I can't say for sure other than they seem to want a little extra before bedtime in the winter. I just bought a 100# sack of cracked corn for $16.20 at the feed mill. That will last my 10 chickens all winter used as a treat before bedtime.

It's a myth, if it were true then regular chicken feed would be dangerous in summer since most chicken feeds are mostly corn. Just have ample food available (as they will eat more in general as they are burning more calories to keep warm) but regular chicken feed is just fine, no need for anything special

 

[gtaus]

It's a myth, if it were true then regular chicken feed would be dangerous in summer since most chicken feeds are mostly corn. Just have ample food available (as they will eat more in general as they are burning more calories to keep warm) but regular chicken feed is just fine, no need for anything special

You might be right. I really don't know. I think my regular chicken feed is about 60% corn to start with. Certainly, regular feed has all the nutrients in it to keep the chickens healthy. As I mentioned, I keep fresh water and commercial feed inside my coop 24/7. The cracked corn is just a treat before bedtime because I read it helps.

FWIW, here is some info I found online concerning feeding cracked corn to the chickens before bedtime in the winter months. I see many of the references are linked right back here to the BYC website. In any case, here is what I found...

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Yes, there is truth to it—feeding chickens cracked corn before bedtime in winter can help them stay warmer, but it should be used as a supplement, not their main diet.

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Why Cracked Corn Helps​

• High in carbohydrates: Corn is calorie-dense, and when chickens digest it, their bodies generate extra heat.
• Slow digestion overnight: Chickens’ gizzards work on the coarse corn through the night, producing warmth as they metabolize it BackYard Chickens poultrywizard.com.
• Energy boost in cold weather: Extra calories help them maintain body temperature when nights are freezing birdvenue.com.

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Important Considerations​

• Not a complete feed: Corn is low in protein and essential nutrients. Relying on it alone can reduce egg production Outdoor Happens.
• Best as a treat: Use cracked corn as a supplement to balanced layer feed, especially on very cold nights.
• Moderation matters: Too much corn can lead to overweight hens and nutritional imbalance.
• Timing: Evening feeding is ideal, since the digestion process coincides with the coldest hours.

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Practical Winter Feeding Strategy​

• Balanced layer pellets: Keep this as the main diet for protein and nutrients.
• Cracked corn at night: A handful per bird before roosting in very cold weather.
• Other warming foods: Oatmeal, cooked grains, or warm mash can also help Simplify, Live, Love birdvenue.com.
• Hydration: Ensure water doesn’t freeze—digestion and warmth depend on it.

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Bottom Line​

Giving cracked corn before bedtime in winter does help chickens stay warmer, but it’s not a substitute for a balanced diet. Think of it as a comfort food and energy boost for the coldest nights, not a daily staple.

Sources: BackYard Chickens poultrywizard.com Simplify, Live, Love Outdoor Happens birdvenue.com