How Urgent is Egg-Laying?

[KWestVA]

My pullet makes a grumbling/crying sound when she is ready to lay an egg. However, it has been unseasonably cold (20°F at the moment), so I have been keeping her inside, and she refuses to lay her eggs anywhere but the outside coop, which is too small to insulate properly (i.e. if I added insulating materials, there would be no room for chickens).

I would prefer to just keep her inside until it warms up in a couple of hours, but would that be detrimental to her health if she is ready to lay?

P.S. An additional complication is that if she cries for very long, the cockerels start their alarm call, and then my dog (their self-appointed guardian) freaks out.

 

[nuthatched]

She could get egg boud if the process is interupted too long.
20 isn't cold for chickens, put her back out in the coop.
Insulation won't help if your coop is ventilated properly, it's just a mouse hotel.

 

[Bawkbok]

Agree with @nuthatched. Put her back in the coop and let her lay normally. She'll be fine if you have bedding in the nest boxes.
It's also not good for her to be separated from her flock; this could create stress for her.

 

[angc11]

Unless she's less than 5 weeks old, 20 degrees is not a problem and she does not need to be indoors. My chickens sleep in a metal box (with tons of ventilation) where I occasionally see temps as low as -5° F with high winds and they are fine. They also free range during the day in temps as low 0° F and have no issues. And people north of me keep chickens in way colder temps than that. As long as they can stay dry and get partially out of the wind, they have feathers and can huddle with each other to keep warm. I agree with everyone above that you are doing more harm than good keeping her inside.

 

[KWestVA]

Thanks for all of the advice! I just get nervous when not only does the chicken's water freeze solid, my small pond with an aerator freezes over as well!

(Just FYI: I've been keeping everyone inside, not just Blondie, so they're not isolated in a social sense.)

 

[nuthatched]

Thanks for all of the advice! I just get nervous when not only does the chicken's water freeze solid, my small pond with an aerator freezes over as well!

(Just FYI: I've been keeping everyone inside, not just Blondie, so they're not isolated in a social sense.)

Bringing them in is doing more harm than good, scoot the little devils back outside.

 

[Bawkbok]

It's important for them to acclimate to their natural environment, albeit cold and below freezing. They won't be able to do this in your home which is probably 50-60 degrees warmer than the outside I suspect.

As long as their environment (the run substrate, coop) offers them some place dry and they are out of the wind and drafts, they will be fine.

 

[Bawkbok]

I just get nervous when not only does the chicken's water freeze solid,

Bring the water vessel in at night and replace with fresh water in the morning.
If temps are below freezing you can add a heater for your waterer.

You can provide pictures of your set up if you'd like advice or suggestions from others who also deal with freezing temps. We do not in our environment, only briefly. Regardless, we always bring the water and food in at night to deter night critters.

 

[KWestVA]

It's important for them to acclimate to their natural environment, albeit cold and below freezing. They won't be able to do this in your home which is probably 50-60 degrees warmer than the outside I suspect.

As long as their environment (the run substrate, coop) offers them some place dry and they are out of the wind and drafts, they will be fine.

Yeah, one of the problems I'm dealing with learning by trial and error is I put the small coop for my 3 chickens on the screened-in porch to keep it dry, and almost immediately developed substantial leaks in the roof. I need a barn!

 

[KWestVA]

Bring the water vessel in at night and replace with fresh water in the morning.
If temps are below freezing you can add a heater for your waterer.

You can provide pictures of your set up if you'd like advice or suggestions from others who also deal with freezing temps. We do not in our environment, only briefly. Regardless, we always bring the water and food in at night to deter night critters.

Do you have any recommendations for a heater? Currently I just use a raised dog bowl set in stainless steel for the food and water, and while I do put out fresh food and water every day, it'll still freeze over at these temps. The chickens also free-range in my backyard during the day and occasionally drink from the pond if they're in the vicinity.