Winter Behavior??

[lhayes1976]

When it gets bitter cold--do your chickens come out or do they stay in the coop? This is my first winter and just curious. My hens come out in the rain--so I'm wondering what they will do when the cold weather moves in.

 

[SteveBaz]

It was 35* this morning with frost on the roofs across the street and the kids were running all over the place at 7am while I was having my 1st cup of Joe and laughing at them pulling at leaves on a branch I dragged in last night I cut from a bush around the window. They loved eating and playing hide and seek

 

[scooter147]

Mine are more active in the cold than the heat.
Mine definately come out and do all their chickens activities to temps down to about 20 degrees give or take. If it's windy or moisture flying about they stay in.
I've said it before extreme heat is much tougher on the birds than cold.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Once it gets down to around 10F for the daily high, mine usually start going back into the coop during the day, to warm up. Then they go back outside, after they've warmed up. When the high for the day is below zero, they usually stop going outside. I know some people have chickens that go outside when it's below zero, but mine don't. They like to look out the windows, though.

 

[hensandchickscolorado]

My 3 girls experienced their first ever snow today, and from what I can tell, they did NOT even leave their ROOST! I went out in the am, again in the afternoon, and again just now to bring some treats. They are still up there (although one did lay an egg). The run is definitely darker because of a layer of snow on the roof, but I can't believe they are in sleep mode! It stopped snowing hours ago.

I hope this changes, for their sake--up perching on the end of an old broom handle is no way to spend a winter

.

 

[BackyardBantams]

Mine roost in the coop every night. Regardless of where they've been or been doing during the day.