Question about cold

[mmch618]

Will it be ok to keep my 3 chickens outside in -18 weather with 12mph wind? They have a coop that is draft free yet ventialted, however usually they prefer to stay outside in the wind and i worry about that. Should I bring them in or keep them out?

 

[Ridgerunner]

I always give mine the choice. If they want to go out they can, if they want to stay in they can. The coldest I’ve had it here was about -4 F but they decided to go out in that. It was calm. If the wind is blowing they normally don’t go out, but the wind is the deciding factor, not the cold.

 

[bobbi-j]

I agree with Ridgerunner - they're smart enough to come in out of the wind if they get cold. Mine prefer to be inside when it's windy. They don't mind sub-zero temps on a calm day.

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

I agree with both of the above answers. It depends on temps and wind and snow whether or not they go out.

Cold but not windy, they'll go out. Windy but not cold, they'll go out. Light snow on the ground they'll go out, deep snow they stay in.

Rain--they will most likely go out as long as it isn't freezing rain. Their skin doesn't even get wet--their feathers are waterproof.

Give them free access to the coop. They'll go out when they feel like it, be in when they feel like it.

 

[Davey G]

When we got our first snow my dad would put our chickens in the coop but he would let them out if the snow melted or we had a major thaw even if the snow didn't melt.

 

[mithious]

Mine won't go out if it's a cold windy day or there is more than a few inches of snow on the ground. They just peek out and say "nope" not going out today LOL. They don't like the rain much either, although a few will go out for a bit, unless it's one of our deluges'.

They do like to peek out though, and see if the snow is gone or not

They did go out for a couple days, when we had that January thaw, and it was 38 to 40 degrees, but there wasn't much of a wind either.