Winter... brrr!

[tboilegh]

My ducks and chickens have ample area to get inside the coop and ouf of the weather... but most of them insist on still sleeping outside! Should I lock them in or will they eventually go in if they get cold enough? Last winter I locked the chickens in but not the ducks. I don't want snowbirds!

 

[Frazzemrat1]

I would lock them in, if only to keep them out of the wind. Cold they can handle, but wind and moisture along with cold, they can't so well. Where are you located? That information will help give you advice...

 

[chickens really]

I'm in Alberta, Canada.. We get Cold...What is your location?..Here it's been -3C over night so I leave the pop door open...We get as Cold as -30C that's when Birds have to stay inside..I also heat my Coop..

 

[mhestanley]

I'm in Alberta, Canada.. We get Cold...What is your location?..Here it's been -3C over night so I leave the pop door open...We get as Cold as -30C that's when Birds have to stay inside..I also heat my Coop..

Thank you for commenting! I live in Wisconsin and last year was our first year with our feather babies (10 barred rocks, 8 Rhode Island reds). With the single digit temps (Fahrenheit) lately, I haven't let them out. I like your guide on the temps range of letting them out versus keeping them in. Thank you!

 

[chickens really]

Thank you for commenting! I live in Wisconsin and last year was our first year with our feather babies (10 barred rocks, 8 Rhode Island reds). With the single digit temps (Fahrenheit) lately, I haven't let them out. I like your guide on the temps range of letting them out versus keeping them in. Thank you!

After -20C I only open the pop door an hour a day to see if They want out in the Run?..Wind Chill plays a big part also..

 

[mhestanley]

After -20C I only open the pop door an hour a day to see if They want out in the Run?..Wind Chill plays a big part also..

The wind has been ridiculous here lately, making temps at the moment feel like -10C. If it dies down later, I will probably open the small side door, but I have been struggling with this lately! I know they are fine with each other in there, but I also want them to be able to get out and play. Thank you for your advice!

 

[chickens really]

The wind has been ridiculous here lately, making temps at the moment feel like -10C. If it dies down later, I will probably open the small side door, but I have been struggling with this lately! I know they are fine with each other in there, but I also want them to be able to get out and play. Thank you for your advice!

Let them decide..They don't mind...

 

[song of joy]

At my place, unless it's brutally windy and below 0 degrees F, the pop door stays open during the day and they can decide whether or not to go outside. They generally won't venture out into snow more than an inch or two deep unless I shovel out an area for them to walk around in.

I am curious about how chickens react to extreme cold when they've been used to roosting in a tree. I have two rebel dominiques that have been roosting in a tree for the past several months. I either need to climb the tree to try to catch them or let them decide when it's too cold to roost outside. So I have the same question you do - Will they switch to roosting in the coop when it gets really cold?

 

[chickens really]

At my place, unless it's brutally windy and below 0 degrees F, the pop door stays open during the day and they can decide whether or not to go outside. They generally won't venture out into snow more than an inch or two deep unless I shovel out an area for them to walk around in.

I am curious about how chickens react to extreme cold when they've been used to roosting in a tree. I have two rebel dominiques that have been roosting in a tree for the past several months. I either need to climb the tree to try to catch them or let them decide when it's too cold to roost outside. So I have the same question you do - Will they switch to roosting in the coop when it gets really cold?

No, you need to train them to the Coop....They are not that smart....lol

 

[song of joy]

No, you need to train them to the Coop....They are not that smart....lol

Great . . . I guess they'll be roosting outside for the winter because my tree-climbing days are over.