Is it safe to let chickens out when it's 20 degrees? Cut off temp??

[Ridgerunner]

Here are mine in 8 degree Fahrenheit. Notice the ice around the waterer. As long as it is not windy, they are happy to be out.

 

[weirdmuse]

If it's sunny and calm, let em out. If they get too warm, they'll find the shade! LOL! My experience is that chooks have a lot less problem with Ohio winters than they do with hot humid Ohio summers. My girls like to go out and play even down to single digits as long as it's not windy.

 

[ChickenCrazed]

I live in Northeastern Ohio by Lake Erie...I have Brahmas and they have been outside all winter...I keep them locked in their house when the weather is really windy and they are always very ready to get let back out ...It has gotten quite cold here, down to 0 degrees ...I do not heat the hen house and they have adjusted much better than I would have thought...So far no trouble with frostbite or anything...Now just hoping the rest of the winter goes as smoothly...Let them out they will love you for it!

~Laura

 

[Egg_newton]

I don't think it is so much about temp as it is other conditions. We had a really bad winter storm about a month ago. It was freezing cold and the wind was blowing really hard. They were all hiding under the deck and behind the coop. I had to catch everyone and put them in the coop. One of my RIR was very lethargic. I thought for sure she wasn't going to make it. I would be more concerned with super cold windy days and freezing rain then just being cold.

 

[PaulaJoAnne]

DOn't use heat ever, except in extreme conditions, a small amount is fine.
And by extreme, I mean 30 below or more.
Its 10 below here, and ours are out and about.

When the wild birds start falling out of the sky, frozen solid, then I will lock mine up for good

 

[Mandalina]

mine are pains in the bum and wont go out in the cold lol.

 

[teach1rusl]

I would say give them the option (as in leave their pop door open for them). If they think it's too cold they either won't go out or they won't go out for long stretches at a time. Mine wouldn't go out in severe cold at all at first this winter. Then they began to gradually go out for short periods of time once the morning/day warmed up to 20 or so. If you have a run, put tarps around the prevailing wind side. That seems to help a lot. We haven't had any days in the single digits yet (plenty of nights though), so I've opened my pop door every day this winter. At single digit days, I'm not sure what I'd do (and I do provide a heat lamp for my girls in the hen house).

 

[wildorchid053]

my hubby not only plowed the driveway he plowed some of the backyard.. they love getting out on a sunny day.. the snow is only about 1" deep.. without plowing a couple of feet deep... the things we do for our flock lol

 

[wepaws4]

You guys are great, my little flock were out all day yesterday and even today while it lightly rained. They sat under the big pine trees for cover if nec but didn't mind the spinkles at all. My one hen was eating eggs and I have had her in a dog cage in the coop on house arrest for about 3 weeks hoping to fatten her up a little and break her of the habit. The flock was chasing her when I let her back out but I noticed when being outside together, they all seem to get along. I painted her toenails red so I can catch her again if my eggs start disappearing.

 

[SussexInSeattle]

Have you heard of putting golf balls in the nest boxes to break the egg eating habit? I guess they figure it's not worth breaking their beaks to get some egg yolk out.