What temps do you confine to the coop?

[WoodlandWoman]

Usually it's their choice, where they want to be.

When the highs are below zero, we have gone to keeping the pop hole door closed, though. That's not the low or with wind chill, that's when the high for the day is below zero, like -6 F. At those temps, my chickens choose not to go out. As long as they don't want to go out at all, then we may as well conserve a little more heat and keep the pop hole door from adding a draft at floor level. Plus, then we go into the night with a little more warmth, which is going to be really cold.

If the high is in the single digits or teens they will still go outside, they just won't stay out a long time. As long as they want to go outside even briefly, I let them.

 

[woodmort]

Quote:
In those cases the choice is generally mine not theirs--I'm not going to wade through that kind of weather twice a day so they can stick their nose outside and then go back into a nice warm coop. I pick up the eggs, toss some scratch/BOSS on the floor and say "see ya tomorrow."

 

[gingerpeach22]

Now that it's sub zero with four hours wan daylight, they stay in the coop which I heat to about 45 to 50 degrees. They are comfortable and all are laying daily. I'm comfortable sitting on the floor and watch them lay, preen, pet the ones on my legs, & generally enjoy all their scratching and talking. If it is about zero, they can go out in the run. Most will go out and enjoy themselves, return, and go back to indoor living. They have a light bulb for a fourteen hour day, an eco heater, and a very small infrared bulb, crates to jump onto and roost, & some stumps, hanging cages for greens & carrots, ample nest boxes, and pine shavings. I feel really good about the quality of their lives.

 

[Up-the-Creek]

I have never confined mine until yesterday.It has been below zero at night with the wind chill and some of them are coming out of a hard molt and I thought it would be best to keep the pop door shut. They weren't coming outside anyway. Believe it or not I finally got two eggs from them today too,after weeks of NONE! They love me for keeping them warm!