Free ranging in snow?

[Mini Farmer]

OMG! How cute are they marching through the snow! I'm in NH; you have it all over us as far as cold and snow go. Last winter, we didn't get snow at all. We just got nailed pretty good with it last night into today. I'm planning my first flock this spring, so this is the best time of the season for me to not only pick the brains of all you experts, but to formulate solutions as to how to plan for next winter.

Mimi

We live about 25 mins from Nashua, and we started our flock of 12 this past May (four Buff Orpingtons, four Barred Rocks, and four NH Reds). Our coop is simply a converted shed, nothing fancy at all. We don't heat the coop, but the girls (and boys, as two of the twelve ended up being roos - gorgeous, sweet roos) are complete rock stars in the cold, and they haven't been daunted by the snow at all! Though some are more fearless than others, ALL of them head out during the day, provided there's a packed-snow path to wander around on, and I've even caught a couple sitting contently on snowbanks. I ADORE these chickens, and I fret a lot about their safety/comfort, but I think you will be surprised how tough they are, especially if you let them do what they do naturally. Every time I start to freak out, I just remind myself that people in the 1800s raised chickens successfully without much fuss, and certainly without insulation, added heat, and fancy snow removal!

Our less-than-professional coop/run...the insulation you DO see is to allow for ventilation while we muffle our early-rising roosters' "announcements."



Our Buff Rooster visiting the goats.

No fear in this Barred Rock



When they get cold, they just head in...I trust their instincts!



Glad to answer any other questions you might have about Southern NH chicken raising! So far, it's been easier than expected, and the chickens have provided far more joy and entertainment than I thought possible!

 

[humphrey farms]

I live in southern Maine and we have had alot of snow this month. My chickens come out on sunny days and walk on paths ect. Their coop is a converted Rubbermaid shed no heat but facing south for sun. I did put some shavings and loose hay down in front of the doors where I shoveled and threw some grain down to encourage them to come out the first snow fall and now they could care less. The 10 wk old wyandottes were free ranging as of a week ago before this big storm.. they havent decided yet to venture outside since BUT with age and cabin fever I assume they too will venture outside like the adults. They appear to be a very hardy breed.

 

[Tessaturtle]

We live in Loudon, NH and have 12 chickens we got as day olds this past spring and we have 13 ducks, both flocks house separately from each other. Both flocks spent many hours free ranging before the snow hit, now they are both more than content to "chill" closer to their houses. The ducks definitely like the snow, but you can tell their feet get cold quickly because they don't walk around too much in their pen without laying down over their feet a lot. The last couple of days, they have preferred to bed down in their straw in the the duck house due to the cold wind. The Muscovies have been the only ones to venture out of the pen into the yard, and even then they don't last long.

The chickens ("the girls") on the other hand have made it quite clear that they are not fans of the snow!! They absolutely refuse to leave their coop with that awful white stuff on the ground LOL! They cluck so loudly at us, letting their displeasure be known. Yesterday, they were all packed in front of the big door, waiting for me to open it during my afternoon egg check - as if expecting that view to be different from the view out of "their" door...I even held the door open wide enough for them all to jump out, but once they saw that the snow was indeed everywhere, all the girls started clucking their disapproval and moved away from the door. They seem to be tolerating the cold really well, they just seem to not like the white stuff and will not step in it at all. One or two brave souls took a couple of steps off of their ramp the other day, but made quite a lot of noise about it and ran right back in. We spread some cracked corn about their coop to keep them busy, and with all their time spent in the coop, it does actually feel warmer in there than outside! With nothing else to do, they have filled their time laying eggs - we are getting 8-9 a day!

 

[PAchickengirl]

Shoveled a spot for the girls. They lasted about 15 minutes. A couple got brave and left the plowed area and were not too enthusiastic about it.

Heading back in....

Not sure what to do now.....

 

[minpins99]

Neither do I! I saw very small snow blowers for sale at the Christmas Tree Shop I may take a closer look at but I have no problem shoveling a path for the girls.

 

[bruceha2000]

Neither do I! I saw very small snow blowers for sale at the Christmas Tree Shop I may take a closer look at but I have no problem shoveling a path for the girls.

Lousiest web site I've seen for a major chain store.
OK, so I can't see what you were looking at but I imagine I would look almost ANYWHERE else to find a snow blower. If they were selling things like the little electric "snow brooms", save your money. Might as well buy a real snow blower that you can use to clear your driveway, walkways, etc. Get something that can handle the cement wall left at the end of your driveway by the town plow that set up over night. Doesn't have to be a massive 2 stage if you have a relatively small area to clear but the little ones are really not much more than worthless on anything but an inch of dry fluffy snow. I use a push broom for that stuff.

Bruce

 

[minpins99]

Not to mention the fact I'd probably snow blow my toes all over the darn place! I need to make changes to the gate I mickey-moused up. It pushes open and I think I'd be better off with something that slides along a track. A decently shoveled path for the girls should suffice. Thanks for the advice, Bruce.

Mimi

 

[bruceha2000]

Not to mention the fact I'd probably snow blow my toes all over the darn place!

If you can see the auger when it is running, you are standing on the wrong side

Keep that in mind and your toes should be OK

Yeah, doors that swing into the snow just are NOT real useful. My shovel has had plenty of use lately. The wind keeps blowing snow from around the corner and dumping it right in front of the door to the barn. It swings out. At least it does in the summer and after you shovel the snow away in the winter.

Bruce

 

[PAchickengirl]

I think the cold warped the door to the coop. When it was a shed, we hardly ever went in it in the winter. Hubby moved the latch because it was hard to close, now we can't latch it at all. I have been holding it closed with a large rock. As long as said rock doesn't freeze to the "porch" of the coop, it'll do for now. They asked to come out this afternoon when I went to check for eggs. At least I don't have to worry about them going too far right now! They still just shuffle back and forth where I shoveled and the coop. An added plus..... I've been seeing wild birds like cardinals over where I threw some scratch to lure the chickens out.

 

[2coopscounting]

Haven't seen anyone mention it, but when the snow falls, the hawks get hungry and a flock of chickens against a white background can be mighty tempting.



As you can see, we get a bit of snow out here ourselves. You can just see the top cornier of the south side coop peeking out from behind the fir tree. The mound of snow in the center of the picture is actually a covered area for our birds. There is a tunnel of sorts running from the front of the coop to the backside here, so they can get access into the big trees and this covered area.



Here it is from the front.





We lost one girl to a hawk on the north side at the first snow, so they are in an enclosed run now, but we rescued these unexpectedly and did not have time to make a proper run, so we did this in a hurry and so far so good.