Free ranging in snow?

[satay]

Love all the snow pictures. I think my hens would definitely have snow envy if I were to show these pics to them. W have had 9 days of over 40C average 45c. No rain and everything including the grass is crispy brown.

 

[ilovedragons2]

I let my flock decide if they wanted out or not. They chose not to go out. I eventually scattered a bale of straw over the snow and they gladly went out but stayed on the straw.


Louie (my roo) stepped out into it and came right back in. I don't blame them. I wouldn't want to be running around in my bare feet in the snow either.

 

[KayTee]

First experience of snow for my three girls today - they came running out of the coop as usual, stopped dead just outside the run door, and within 30 seconds were back inside the run (covered, so no snow) - what a load of woosses!!!!.

They stayed in there all day, even though I left the door open to give them a choice. Fortunately I installed a dust bath area in there last week (mix of ashes from the fire and some old compost, with bits of scratch and oyster shell thrown in to provide a bit of interest), so they spent the day scratching around on the grass and in the dust bath.

I went out at 5 pm to check on them - Blackie and Cinders still in the run, but Rusty had decided to venture out. (She's not nicknamed Dora the Explorer for nothing!). She was up on a low stone wall, stood in the snow, and looking absolutely terrified! She wouldn't come down, even for tinned corn (equivalent of crack cocaine to my girls!) I took her off the wall and put her on the ground, but she just wouldn't cross the snow to get back into the run - she just stood there looking petrified - I had to go and pick her up and carry her back to the run! I think that she may think twice before heading out tomorrow!

 

[alaskagrandma]

I live in SE Alaska where our temps. are above and below freezing all winter. I don't open the coop and let them out into the yard when it's freezing, and especially when there is snow on the ground as I have found that they will freeze their feet. They turn red and stay that way if they have been exposed to the cold and they are not smart enough to stay in the coop when the ground is frozen. When it's cold and rainy, this is a rainforest, I open the door to the yard and they go in and out, unlike when it's warmer and not wet. They really like a warmer sunny day, the rooster crows more and the hens make their little noises. It's a tough climate to raise animals in and they need a bit more attention because of the weather conditions and muskeg (wetlands). I also have turkeys, however they are a tougher bird and can take the cold better. I have to run a light on a timer in the winter if I want to keep the girls laying as we get down to 7 hrs. of daylight, I have 9 buff O hens right now. We have an incubator ($10.00 at a yard sale in OR 6 yrs. ago, still working fine) and hatch our own turkeys and chicks. We butcher the roosters, give some away and share any excess eggs we gather. We grow a lot of our own produce in a greenhouse and the birds get all the trimmings and what does not go to the compost bins. Love my birds and try to take good care of them.

 

[KayTee]

I didn't think that birds could get cold feet! All the nature programmes say how they have very few blood vessels in the legs and feet, to avoid heat loss. However, when I think about it, the wild birds in my garden never stay on the snow for very long - they try to find somewhere to perch that's snow-free, so I suppose it makes sense.

No wonder Rusty didn't want to get down off the wall! Maybe I'll have to make some little chicken shoes if this snow doesn't melt soon. (Now that would make my husband think I've gone completely chicken-crazy!!)

 

[missnu01]

Actually, there is very little snow in the run itself. It has wire over the top, which had some leaves/pine needles stuck in it. So, the snow accumulated there. I am watching them right now, pecking around in there. They spend a lot of time in the adjacent area under the coop. My question was whether they could be let out of the run to roam the yard, or if they even would when there is snow. My husband and I were talking about where the natural habitat is for wild chickens and if it is a more tropical climate, where they wouldn't ordinarily be exposed to snow. I remember visiting Key West and being pleasantly surprised to find chickens running around there! Thanks for responding to my post!

I would probably give them the option of ranging in the snow, but there if they are anything like my chickens they will prefer the coop..My roosters seem to love inclement weather, but the hens not so much. Not even the roos really like the snow though...but they love the rain...

 

[tobyandbarb]

I live in Western MA and this is my first winter with my 6 chicks. My sweetie is so enamored with our girls ( as am I) that he snowplows a path around the back of the house and across the front to the bird feeders so they can free range for a couple hours each day. They cannot wait till we open the door for them even though they have a good sized pen (which he also removes snow from!) I have been putting a heat lamp on for the night when the temperature drops below 20F - is that silly?

 

[NCReb]

Our chickens hate snow to no end.

One time, a hen worked up the courage to go outside, took five steps, and stopped. I think she didn't like the way snow felt on her feet, so she didn't want to take any more steps, even if they were back to the coop.

 

[PAchickengirl]

.i was just thinking the other day about how the snow makes it possible to see if anything has been lurking near by. We had some deer check out the coop a few days ago, but no signs of anything else, except for a cat that goes through the yard, but not near the coop. Not yet, anyway.

 

[BullChick]

I live in Western MA and this is my first winter with my 6 chicks. My sweetie is so enamored with our girls ( as am I) that he snowplows a path around the back of the house and across the front to the bird feeders so they can free range for a couple hours each day. They cannot wait till we open the door for them even though they have a good sized pen (which he also removes snow from!) I have been putting a heat lamp on for the night when the temperature drops below 20F - is that silly?

It is concerning. If the power goes out, the girls won't be able to regulate their body temperature, and they will die.
Not that other people don't do it too. I am just mentioning why it is not a popular choice. Of course, there is also the fact that a heat lamp can start a fire in the coop. I don't worry about that as much as power outages.