Winter... Can I still let them out in the run?

[annrich]

I have been keeping them in the coop all day and night. I live in western NY buffalo niagara area. It's very cold now. It's in the 20's now with a wicked wind chill. The coop has been keeping it's heat. It's 55 degrees right now inside. I have none laying now. I expect that with it being winter. Is it ok to open their run up and let them in it? I am just curious if it's ok for them to be outside in these temps?

Sorry for wacky ??'s but this is my first winter with these chickens.

Thanks, Ann

 

[justusnak]

Sure, let them out. Mine go out in the coldest of cold days. When they get too cold, they will go back inside...they are after all....smart chickens!!

 

[4-H chicken mom]

Mine also like to go outside even when it's cold outside as long as there isn't any snow on the ground. They hate it. They just stand in the doorway and look out at it.

 

[tiffanyh]

In in CT, my chickens go out all winter--I leave the coop door open and they can actually go under the coop which is about 1.5 ft off the ground. They never go in until dark.

 

[Galaxie_Man]

Quote:
Just like Tiffany, I open the coop and let them decide if they want to come out or not. The past couple of days have been the coldest of the season, and they'll come out initially, but after a while all go back in. Then come back out. Then go back in. Same thing all day long. The three layers go in at their special times to make me my daily presents. By sundown, they're all settled in for the night. I just have to keep an eye on the waterer so it's not frozen.

 

[Standard Hen]

Same here, open the doors and out they come! If they need shelter they will go back in. In the winter I see them going back and forth all day but they do both like and need to get out in the fresh air I feel.

 

[SpottedCrow]

Absolutely...when it's snowy I can be found shoveling a path...

Most times, they'll be like heck no, I ain't goin out there...