How Cold of Weather Can Chickens Stand Outside of Coop?

[Chelsa'sChicks]

Our temperature here is milder than yours. So far lowest is minus 6 C. Our problem is the birds don’t like too much sun even in winter!

This thread raised the issue of risk from a large change in temperature so I’d like to ask a question. I still have two chickens I’m nursing, following a dog attack, living in a large run and hen house in my hall. Our house has central heating and is warm at night. We have not put the outer insulation on the hen house. When the hens feathers have grown back I need to put them back outside. One hen has now restarted to lay eggs, with ear splitting screaming for several hours. We are planning to put them outside by end of February, adding the insulation cover to the hen house. Will the hens be ok outside?

What is the temperature of your house? If I was in your shoes my concern would be making a 'hot house hen'. They get used to the heat and can get sick or die going to an extreme. Alot of people have lost whole flocks from accidentally doing this.. putting a heat lamp in the coop for the winter the electric goes out and the birds die. I would acclimate them same as chicks depending on your house temp.

 

[SW31]

Oh dear, the house is between 17c at night and 20c in the day. We had lower temperatures when we were changing gas suppliers but it wasn’t very pleasant for us. Unfortunately I have health problems so need to keep warm.

 

[Chelsa'sChicks]

I would say that's a large enough difference (for me personally) that if they were mine I would acclimate them for a few days. Out in the day with heat plate or lamp and on warmer days when it's closer to your house temp use plate just at night. Since your applying insulation to the coop they should be better off and i would acclimate them for a few days to a week. I would treat them like hardier chicks basically, I would rather have them in the best health then risk them getting sick and needing to back into the house again ...

 

[SW31]

Ok, can I do the following:
Turn central heating to very low at night, also turn off radiators in the hall,
Open doors during the day as hen house and run is in the hall,
Close to when they are ready to go permanently outside, let them roam outside under tight supervision.

What is a heat plate. Unlike the Omlet Cube, the Omlet Go doesn’t have anywhere separate to put heating, such as hot water bottles, so I’m not sure what I can actually put in their hen house without harming them.

 

[Chelsa'sChicks]

Its a plate used for chicks instead of lamp, but still giving off heat. I've seen chicks resting on or under them in some brooder boxes people designed. I have not used one, but it' really based off your preference.

That sounds like a good plan. When you watch them look for slower movements from them or if they are fluffing up their feathers excessively cause they are getting cold. You could also just stick your hand between them If they roost together. When my chicks first were free in the barn they laid together and putting your hand between their bodies felt like a hot glove lol. After that I worried less cause they were warmer then I was right then haha.

 

[SW31]

Many thanks for advice.

 

[SW31]

I looked at the heat plates but the Omlet Go is not suitable for them. However, I did find these additional liners...
https://www.omlet.co.uk/shop/chicke...nd_go_up/?rf=19d4568c6acfd8cd63ed2b7036a6c305

I think if I put these on, then the main insulation top cover they should stay nice and cozy at night.

 

[Chelsa'sChicks]

Yes I agree.

 

[Freisian]

We just hit -6, they would not come out into the roofed, but open at three sides, straw run, so following an earlier post near the start of this thread I built up a wall two straw bales high at the prevailing wind side of the roofed run which meant I could put loads of loose straw in the house sheltered side. Hey presto, they are out! I scatter corn and peas ( extra protein as two are moulting, one drastically) in the late afternoon, they have on demand grower and oyster shell and grit. They hate the cold eagerly snow blowing wind we have at the moment but no problem with the snow in the open end of the run if they can come back nd shelter in the straw bale yard, even the drastic moulter who is looking more like a spiky reptile, thank you @SueT and @centrarchid ! I love this site, so helpful!