Official BYC Poll: Do you allow your chickens outside in the snow, or keep them indoors?

[Back40chick]

Snow is very rare here in South Georgia, but we got 6" a few weeks back. Chickens can go in and out of the coop as they wish. We didn't change that. They did fine being out in it

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

I shovel the snow for them and let them outside, but only when it's warm enough where frostbite isn't much of a concern.

 

[Lucda]

Why not let them out? Do you like to be cooped up all the time? Something to think about... Chickens know what they want and know what they don't want.

 

[UpstateChickenDaddy]

Our entire run is covered, but snow does come in because our winds off the lake result in horizontal snows and I can’t hermetically seal it up. If the snow comes it I take a backward snow shovel and scrape it off a bit. They go out as they wish. Their door opens and closes automatically. They know when it isn’t pleasant (when winds are over 20 mph here it gets a bit drafty despite the coverings or during active snow/rain). Otherwise it is remarkable to me - I am freezing my behind off in 20F degree (-6C) weather and they’re out there doing their thing. It did get down to 0F (-17C) a couple days with high winds and I locked their door. They are only 7 months old and this is their first winter, and boy what a doozy. Other than those two days I let them do as they please.

Next year we’ve learned where we have to make improvements to block more snow.

 

[UpstateChickenDaddy]

I shovel the snow for them and let them outside, but only when it's warm enough where frostbite isn't much of a concern.

Lacy, question. In my coop there is no draft where they sleep. I’ve tested the ventilation. Until today I had two roos. One a Buff Orpington and one an Australorp. It isn’t bad but my BO has small what look like frost bite parts on his comb. My former Australorp however had no such issue. They didn’t sleep in identical places each night. Are different species differently affected by frostbite? Not sure how to help him so any help would be great.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

Lacy, question. In my coop there is no draft where they sleep. I’ve tested the ventilation. Until today I had two roos. One a Buff Orpington and one an Australorp. It isn’t bad but my BO has small what look like frost bite parts on his comb. My former Australorp however had no such issue. They didn’t sleep in identical places each night. Are different species differently affected by frostbite? Not sure how to help him so any help would be great.

How cold is your temps, particularly at night? How big is his comb? Bigger combs are more prone to frostbite than smaller combs, so breeds doesn’t matter if they have the same size comb, though if one can cover their comb better with their feathers at night, that might be the difference. On here, I'd be more concerned that your BO is getting colder at night, or is getting kicked outside during the day (that is, if they're allowed outside during the day).
Where is the BO in the pecking order? Are there hens that they're sleeping next to, and if so, is the BO sleeping away from them? Back to comb size, is the BO comb thinner than the Australorp's?

 

[UpstateChickenDaddy]

How cold is your temps, particularly at night? How big is his comb? Bigger combs are more prone to frostbite than smaller combs, so breeds doesn’t matter if they have the same size comb, though if one can cover their comb better with their feathers at night, that might be the difference. On here, I'd be more concerned that your BO is getting colder at night, or is getting kicked outside during the day (that is, if they're allowed outside during the day).
Where is the BO in the pecking order? Are there hens that they're sleeping next to, and if so, is the BO sleeping away from them? Back to comb size, is the BO comb thinner than the Australorp's?

So first things first. He was second in the pecking order with Henry. Henry is now gone and Charles is in charge.

The temps can drop a bit below freezing but usually hovers there. I has some heating panela near there roost area. The BO Roo is sleeping usually in the middle of the pack. Even when two roos were there they would all sleep together.

Coldest temps at night can go below Freezing but right now it is about 28 out and the coop is 41. They are allowed outside as they please and that includes cold days.

going to attach a couple pics.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

So first things first. He was second in the pecking order with Henry. Henry is now gone and Charles is in charge.

The temps can drop a bit below freezing but usually hovers there. I has some heating panela near there roost area. The BO Roo is sleeping usually in the middle of the pack. Even when two roos were there they would all sleep together.

Coldest temps at night can go below Freezing but right now it is about 28 out and the coop is 41. They are allowed outside as they please and that includes cold days.

going to attach a couple pics.

You might want to keep them inside during those cold days. Unfortunately, a good rooster will stand outside all day watching over their hens and will end up loosing their combs due to getting frostbite in the colder temps.

 

[Yardmom]

Mostly I open the door and let them choose. With 3-5 feet on the ground they choose to stay in the coop. My Silkies like to eat it, but not step on it. The standards don't want to touch it at all. Some days I leave the standard coop door closed, no sense risking the fox coming in if the chickens are not going out. It was above freezing today and a day last week. I put hay on the snow. The standards came out on the hay and then went under the coop where there is not any snow. One older hen took a solo trip. She stayed on my packed path and visited the duck pen (checking to see what food the ducks had). No one else of a 30 bird flock dared join her.

 

[pecky33]

I open the pop door in the morning and let them decide. If it snowed overnight and they wake up to a strange white world they typically stay in for a day or two, then some start going out.

One time it started snowing during the day when they were already outside. They stayed out, no big deal. The change was gradual enough it did not bother them.

Same for my chickens!