Question

[coolcanoechic]

I'm sure you have all heard this question before, but I'm a newbie and have not figured out how to completely navigate this site yet for previous postings. My apologies if I am asking a redundant question. I am almost ready to receive a few hens from my brother ( as soon as I finish building the coop ) and winter is fast approaching. I was wondering what temps in the winter would cause one to keep their chickens cooped up in their coop for the day. I leave very early in the morning for work and hubby would have to let them out in the morning. I don't want them to be uncomfortable all day with the coop door open....or is that ok? The hens are New Hampshire Reds.
It gets pretty cold here in New Hampshire in the winter.
Thanks for any advice I can get

 

[ozark hen]

if your door is on the south side then or whatever side the storms don't come in where you are at...I would leave it open and give them the choice to go outside. As long as they are dry and out of drafts it will be fine. We have members from Alaska on here that do not heat nor leave them locked up. Welcome and good luck with your chickens. glad you to have you. Most of us learned everything we know from BYC

 

[coolcanoechic]

Their coop door is on the west side. That is usually where storms approach. I am planning to put some plastic around the run to cut down on the wind and snow during the winter months. It should help. There will be two big double paned windows on the south side of the coop to allow the sun to warm up the coop during the day.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

I usually only lock them in when we've expecting a blizzard or have a tornado in the area. It's a safety issue, rather than a temperature issue. If they get too cold, they just go back inside for awhile, to warm up. They're pretty good at figuring out where they want to be.

 

[sourland]

Dry and draft free and they will be fine. If the prevailing winds come from the West, you could build some sort of a baffle around the door so that winter winds will not be blowing into the coop.

 

[petejd]

from South Carolina.. Don't hesitate to ask any questions here. People are wonderful here and will answer your questions even if you think it is silly. Trust me. I know..LOL