Poultry Talk Ontario (pto.ca)

How cold does it have to be before you make your chickens stay in for the day? I'm thinking today is the day, high of -12 0C. Is there a drop in egg production if the chickens go outside on cold days?

mine don't go out as soon as it's +2...lol. unless it's sunny. then they go out. edited to add: They have the choice to go out or not, they just don't, so after a couple of days of them not going out i just don't bother opening the door. they're happy sitting in the sun in the doorway, even if i see them there and open the door they still don't come out....

egg production i find is more tied to light hours than cold or not...but as soon as there's any white stuff on the ground (even just a couple of flakes) they're in until the grass grows again whether i open the coop or not.

Seeing mine wander in & out of barn top door half I leave it up to them . As Kathy says once it snows they don't go out anyway naturally . Seeing chickens are not native to Canada no instinct to be outside in crappy weather . As said before let um be chickens . Large area 25/32 ft inside barn for 30+ birds to wander/spend day in with dirt floor 24/7 turkey pellets & whole corn , grower grit .bait boxes & traps for rodents .Works for me . Luck

As far as cold goes it's same temp inside as outside cept for windchill or if u have added a heat source . Jamming a hole bunch a birds in a coop for heat only works if they cuddle & Ventalation is excellent . I always figure if u open your coop / barn in AM after closed over nite & the stuffyness & dampness is so much you have to air out & woulnt other than too cold for u sleep there than air is wrong .Dampness is the biggest killer in coops in winter . Luck

I give mine the choice. Sometimes they do in fact venture out in the snow. They do get used to it. My feeling is that it would stress them out to be suddenly confined and not get the chance to view the outside world.

Mine have a choice too. Some of them will only lay in one of the other coops and almost keep their legs crossed until I let them out - then the rush and relief LOL! My Australorps used to be the hardiest and would trot off in -25 wondering why the others don't follow. As they get older they come out less.

All choice here too. I fed and water outside, so today I did lay down straw around the water and feeders. Didn't seem to slow any of them down. After the last two winters, this was just a blip. LOL

I'm allowing them to go out to covered run. Which I just tarped the sides this wknd. They eat in the run and waters inside. I don't have electricity outside so heated water is inside

-12 today. Chickens have the choice. All out today as soon as coop doors open. Even with a dusting of snow on the ground. Same as the silkies. Out.

They all got a warm bucket of oatmeal for breakfast ... I'm sure that keeps them going for a while.

Lol..its too cold when the eggs freeze in the nesting boxes...two split today...first time...