pop door open

[beach livin']

i have been leaving my little pop door open at night for the girls to exit in the mornings. it hasnt gotten below 36* here at night yet, so i figure they should be fine for a while. once winter really hits, i will close it up all the way. so my question is, what is the coldest they can tolerate before i shut them in? the coop is not insulated, and the door is a foot square. there are small vents up top of the coop as well.

 

[hispoptart]

Do they have a predator proof area they exit to? I leave mine open all the time, but the area they go into is enclosed and I have wrapped tarp around most of it to keep the drafts down. it has gotten down to -8 here at night and so far they are ok. They looked like they had a bit of frost bite, but the area that was a bit black is now red and healthy.

 

[beach livin']

yes, they are fully enclosed and protected.

 

[True Grit]

I have a heavy plastic pet door cut into strips over the pop door opening but if it will get below 20 or so I tend to close the pop door.

 

[rancher hicks]

Because my run is only chicken wire I make sure it's close at night. I don't want to take any chances. I've to much invested in my chickens.

I wish you safety,

Rancher

 

[donnavee]

I put clear plastic around my secure run and since night temps have only dropped to 27 so far this year I have been able to leave the pop door open as well. I have a remote thermometer by their roost area so I can monitor the coop temp from the house and it hasn't dropped below 37 in the coop. I will probably start closing the pop door when temps get in the low 20', but right now I'm enjoying getting to sleep a little later.

 

[rancher hicks]

Remote Thermometer? I gotta see this.

 

[CMV]

Chickens can tolerate some brutal temps. I had my oldest hens during a cold snap when it was -25 degrees with a wicked wind. They were fine in their uninsulated coop. I tried to put a heat lamp on them and they acted like I was trying to cook them and refused to enter the coop. I had to pull it out and let them suffer through it. Not even a case of frostbite. Your birds should be fine with the door open as long as they don't get eaten by something entering the open door.

Good luck.

 

[bald egg]

My pop door is open 24/7 also. I just watch the girls. If they are staying in on their own then I figure it's too cold and shut them up. Usually below 10-20 degrees. They know..

 

[lolita117]

I leave my pop door open 24/7 too and my chickens have access to an outside run that is well built. My pop door is on the East side of the coop and there are trees that block most of the wind. My chicken coop is also well ventilated. I've posted a couple of pictures. The is the interior showing the spaces between the rough lumber that makes up the wall. My whole coop is like this. The other pictures are showing the outside. It can get a little chilly right now with temps dropping to around freezing or below but my girls seem very fine. If it does get too cold I will tarp the northern side of the coop but I think if the pop door isn't facing where most of the wind comes from, it should be alright to let it stay open even in really cold temps.