Chickens who HATE snow?

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400


I live in Montana, and all five of my chickens baracade themselves in the coop to avoid the snow! This is as far as Daisy and Mickey will venture until I shovel them a snow-free space in the run, lol.
 
Blooie said:
Oh my gosh, so funny! But did you notice the lovely snow angels they made in the snow? Did you end up picking up the last two and putting them in, or did they go in on their own finally?
Click to expand...
I went and extracted them and they flew the rest of the way. I'll post a new one. We took pity on them.

Jason
 
I just read this entire thread.

Seems like mine, most chickens do not like walking on snow or ice.

I also did not read many viable solutions.

I use deep bedding in my coop, pine shavings.

Once a year or so, I replace the shavings with fresh.

I used to toss the spent shavings into the deep litter run, where within a few months, it completed the composting process.

Now I purchased a few inexpensive garbage cans to store the spent shavings.

I strategically place the full cans around my run.

Snow storm over, I shovel out some of the spent shavings into the run.

Birds do a fine job of spreading it out, and enjoying their new surface.

Works beautifully, happy chickens not cooped up for weeks waiting for the white stuff to disappear..
 
RonP said:
I just read this entire thread.

Seems like mine, most chickens do not like walking on snow or ice.

I also did not read many viable solutions.

I use deep bedding in my coop, pine shavings.

Once a year or so, I replace the shavings with fresh.

I used to toss the spent shavings into the deep litter run, where within a few months, it completed the composting process.

Now I purchased a few inexpensive garbage cans to store the spent shavings.

I strategically place the full cans around my run.

Snow storm over, I shovel out some of the spent shavings into the run.

Birds do a fine job of spreading it out, and enjoying their new surface.

Works beautifully, happy chickens not cooped up for weeks waiting for the white stuff to disappear..
Click to expand...
@RonP .....Do the shavings and poop start to 'cook' in the cans?


I keep part of the run shoveled out, 8x10 area between the run door and pop door,
and path all the way down (~40') for access to clear any snow that clings to the mesh roof so it won't collapse.
I'll spread a thin layer of straw or hay after shoveling and they'll come out onto that for a scratch around...some will venture out onto the snow surface itself.

It might seem silly to shovel out part of the run, but it really helps with my drainage issue once all the snow starts to melt in the spring.....
.....and it gets the ground exposed to the birds much earlier.
 

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