Too cold for free-ranging?

[Silkie fluff butts]

I've seen lots of posts about low temps and most seem to focus on the coop. Our coop is too small to shut them in all day. It has a heat lamp and is a great reprieve from the cold, rain and snow...but my dumb little drumsticks don't seem to remember to go back in now and then to eat/drink/dry off, warm up. We enclosed the run with wire fencing and tarps to keep them in when it's pouring rain (which is often, here in the pacific northwest!) and added food and water outside. Now our temps are dropping into the teens. Is that ok for them to free-range in their big yard or should I keep them in their run and coop area?

 

[AntiqueB]

You can let them free range, but be aware of predators as always. Make sure they have access to unfrozen water (an electric pet bowl is great), food, and shelter if they need to get out of the wind, snow, rain, etc.

I let mine out every day of the year. If it's windy or rainy, they hide under the deck. If it snows overnight, they're likely to stay in the coop/run until they get up enough courage to go out. I have a shelter for their food, and a heated bowl for water.

 

[Dinogrrl]

We don't get too viciously cold in my area, but my chickens are free in my yard all day, every day, no matter the weather. There's plenty of places for them to get out of the weather if they need/want to. The only time I didn't let them out of their coop was when we had a hurricane come through.

 

[Lenny loves chickens]

I've seen lots of posts about low temps and most seem to focus on the coop. Our coop is too small to shut them in all day. It has a heat lamp and is a great reprieve from the cold, rain and snow...but my dumb little drumsticks don't seem to remember to go back in now and then to eat/drink/dry off, warm up. We enclosed the run with wire fencing and tarps to keep them in when it's pouring rain (which is often, here in the pacific northwest!) and added food and water outside. Now our temps are dropping into the teens. Is that ok for them to free-range in their big yard or should I keep them in their run and coop area?

Mine do the same. And inhale to put them in the coop cause we have a swing they perch on ‍mine still free range tho and we are also sitting at about 15

 

[Boise-girls]

Mine don't like to walk on the snow. They have a couple of dry, sheltered areas in their small chicken yard, but they won't leave their pen area unless I toss some straw on the snow to make a little path.

Today, we have snow on the ground and it stayed in the 20s. They did go into their coop more than usual but mostly stayed in their pen. I put a bunch of extra straw in the pen yesterday, and they seem to like burrowing down into that. They're also inclined to stay in the pen if it's windy. We'll see how it goes this weekend when it hits single digits!

I do like to give them the choice, though, unless it's really windy or actively snowing or raining. Of course, they're always happy to sit under the table near the back door in hopes of a hand out!

 

[Beer can]

I've seen lots of posts about low temps and most seem to focus on the coop. Our coop is too small to shut them in all day. It has a heat lamp and is a great reprieve from the cold, rain and snow...but my dumb little drumsticks don't seem to remember to go back in now and then to eat/drink/dry off, warm up. We enclosed the run with wire fencing and tarps to keep them in when it's pouring rain (which is often, here in the pacific northwest!) and added food and water outside. Now our temps are dropping into the teens. Is that ok for them to free-range in their big yard or should I keep them in their run and coop area?

Let them do what they want to do. We get down subzero, teens and below zero actual temp for a couple months a yr, -20f windchill avg for short time. I've had sillkes, TSC 'silkies' so not real one's if you have pure silkies maybe have some concerns not sure, mine I'm sure crossed one's were fine. First birds out of the coop ready to play in the snow flapping their wings while I'm bundled up freezing is my naked necks, and I've had naked necks crossed with TSC 'silkies'.
The cold doesn't seem to affect them. Keep the coop well ventilated, most important thing, more important than blocking wind. I've never had hens get frostbite even floppy headed leghorns, only birds that suffer some is the roos.
Tips of combs will get burnt little bit heal up come spring. Worst is the wattles, make sure you provide water they can not dip wattles in if your concerned.

 

[Silkie fluff butts]

Thanks for all the wonderful advice and reassurance!