Free ranging in snow?

Date sort Score sort
400

This was what she looked like
 
I let my girls free range and they have experienced their first winter we've had 8" of snow on the ground for about a week and the temperature has been in the single digits all week also. I've cleaned some snow out of the run but some days they come out of the coop and some days they don't not sure if its because of the snow or just the darn cold. Two of the girls ventured out in the snow yesterday and would stop and stand on one leg then they decided to go in.
 
toddo said:
I let my girls free range and they have experienced their first winter we've had 8" of snow on the ground for about a week and the temperature has been in the single digits all week also.  I've cleaned some snow out of the run but some days they come out of the coop and some days they don't not sure if its because of the snow or just the darn cold.  Two of the girls ventured out in the snow yesterday and would stop and stand on one leg then they decided to go in.
Click to expand...
Yep same here! Except I have about 3 feet of frozen snow and more is coming this week! The girls pick and choose when they venture out! For the most part they just hang out by the door!
 
toddo said:
I let my girls free range and they have experienced their first winter we've had 8" of snow on the ground for about a week and the temperature has been in the single digits all week also. I've cleaned some snow out of the run but some days they come out of the coop and some days they don't not sure if its because of the snow or just the darn cold. Two of the girls ventured out in the snow yesterday and would stop and stand on one leg then they decided to go in.
Click to expand...

Yeah, my Current hen, RIR, will stand on the back porch with one leg up on some cold days. On the NE side of the cabin she will stay very close to the house, trot to under the front porch, dirt bath area, etc. I had a Leghorn that laid IN the snow once. I guess the 'bully' one scared her from the laying box. I didn't find it until the next serious Thaw. Been a hard year with predators, hope to have more come Spring, experience the varying weather where I am at. With house FACING the South, they have a Warmer choice and a Cooler place, either times of the year.
 
I worry about my Aussies in Nw Tx strong cold winds, sleet, snow freezing rain they are about 8.5 months old People say don't worry chickens survive the cold well this dang wind is driving me crazy otherwise I wouldn't worry so much about them
 
My three Silkies have a decent sized dog kennel pen with hay on the ground, but have been sitting on the ice near the door for the past couple days. We have mostly slush and ice on the ground right now. I haven't let them free range because I have an eight-year-old and didn't want his pets dismembered by some predator. They looked so pathetic that I finally let them out this afternoon. These birds are afraid of everything, yet they walked right out of the gate and are wandering around, unconcerned about the icy ground. Hope that they manage to get back into the coop by dusk. Are they just bored? I don't think there is anything to eat outside the pen that isn't inside as well, but they are wandering around pecking at the slush. They definitely look happier.
 
Worry is like sitting in a Rocking Chair; You're Doing Something, But You're NOT going anywhere..
In the past I have had hens roosting in nearby trees, boxes, wood pile, wherever. Been down to -8, with Lordy only knows how cold in Windchill. One year I had a Rock sitting in a tree for 3 days straight, wouldn't get down.(that I could see. (BITTERLY Cold!) No foliage to protect her from the wind. She just wouldn't give it up. She did finally come down, WHEN I saw. No IDEA if she came down when I wasn't around. My current, mini Bantam, finds his way along the house, to the basement, facing S., where it's warmer, anytime. In the last 5-6 yrs, I've had LOOSE, Free Range, chickens, I've learned they do weather as their Maker tells them to & No fussing on my part will change such..
hu.gif
cool.png
 

Similar threads

L
    • Like
Crazy in the morning.
Replies
7
Views
461
lagrange chicks
L
H
Preparing to free range hens.
Replies
1
Views
506
fluffycrow
fluffycrow
L
    • Like
First Day Owning Chickens - What’s Normal!?
Replies
8
Views
260
Mrs. K
Mrs. K
Jasfarm
Roo Behavior - Light Brahma - 8 months
Replies
6
Views
699
ShrekDawg
ShrekDawg
ffibyar
Long introduction
Replies
1
Views
391
rosemarythyme
rosemarythyme

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom