# Winter question



## mandi (May 10, 2013)

To all of you who experience real winter. I live in sunny Arizona and this is my first winter with my ladies. It is supposed to get below 32 tonight (happens only about twice a year here) My hens refuse to sleep in their cozy coop they sleep outside in the dirt instead. Should I be worried about them getting too cold tonight?


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## kessy09 (Jun 16, 2013)

Are you expecting any rain? There is a possibility of freezing water at that temp if it drizzles so I would maybe try to hustle them inside. If they get wet, then the temp drops that might be for an uncomfortable evening. They can be cold as long as they are dry. They just can't handle even a bit of cold and wet. With that said, I'm in rural Manitoba and our temps today were -22F. The chickens were outside all day. I have their run totally tarped off with deep litter in the coop and the run and they are quite cozy. No heat, no light. I can't believe it's this cold already and it's only the first week in December :/ already have one roo recovering from frostbite but that was a freak accident with the water dish. Not the norm. A friend of mind here just has hay bale coops and her chickens are still free ranging. They nuzzle down in shoulder deep snow all day and are thriving. They are much tougher than we give them credit for. Tougher than the barn cat even who spent all day in the rooster coop hiding and trying to snuggle.


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## mandi (May 10, 2013)

Thank you! No rain yet. We're supposed to get a little over the weekend and some parts of the desert have a chance for a little snow! -22 degrees!!! Burrrr I took the girls some warm oatmeal this morning and they seem to be just fine. I'll have to try to get them to sleep in the coop the next couple of nights to get them prepared for the rain.


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