Anyone else's chickens afraid of snow.

[Yardmom]

My older hens don't go out once it snows. My pullets and a cockeral have ventured out in the snow all but one windy day this year.

 

[Clarence62]

Yeah. First snow for mine too and they hated the snow. About 4 inches. It was also sleeting and windy at times so they basically huddled out of the wind. Also they yelled at me every time I passed as though my entire life is an affront to them. They Loved some warm mealworm and oatmeal. We wrapped the bottom of the coop with plastic and they stayed there. Tough to plan for this storm on east coast. Winds shifted big time. Picture of coop with wrapped lower level

 

[Liz Birdlover]

I put a young rooster who had never seen snow in our chicken coop run. He high stepped his walk.

My 1 big, old Barred Rock Roo does that, walks slowly lifting each leg high & wide, like he's wearing a saggy, soggy diaper, then shakes the offensive snow from his feet. He continues that walk that way several minutes after being back in the dry coop, like he's trying to shake off the cold. He then shoots me a dirty look, like it's all my fault, just hilarious.

Here he is, giving me stink eye Lol

 

[gimmie birdies]

A diff rooster of mine, used to the snow.

 

[mcycle12]

Our last storm was my chickens first exposure to the snow. Like most, the did not want to walk in it at all. There was a little bare dirt island in the middle of the run they stood around in. The snow in the coop was gone in a day. They now enjoy a snow boulder from the snow plow at least once a day. You'd think it was ice cream.

 

[FLXCHIX]

Well, they are not afraid of snow, but they definitely do not like to walk in it. In fact, one snowy morning, they wanted to get out of their run, but the path was covered in snow. My husband went out to clear them a path. As he removed a shovel of snow an moved forward, the chickens would follow along. He would shovel, chickens waiting behind him, he moves forward, chickens follow, more snow cleared, chickens moved ahead and so on.....funny little creatures.

 

[lifein1840]

Today was the first significant snow we've had since we got our Buff Orpingtons last spring. They didn't even want to stay in the covered run for too long. Spent all morning in the coop. We had a lull in the storm this afternoon. I opened up the run door, to let them out, and they freaked out and ran into the coop. . My rooster pecked at the snow that blew into the run, but that's it. I guess the term "chicken" is justified. Does anyone have chickens that are scared of the snow?

Yep, I just shovel or kick a little of the run clean so they can see where to step coming out then let them do the rest of the snow removal.....

 

[morsekathan]

My current girls hate the snow. They refused to even stick their heads out of the coop. They have a little covered porch (the coop is a converted play house), they wouldn't even come out to eat some food I put on the snow free porch. Such princesses! However, now that the snow is starting to melt - about 1/4 of my backyard is clear now, they come out and don't have any problem with walking through the snow that is left.

Hens are endlessly amusing!

 

[LMN1966]

Mine won't go out in the winter! But they sure love to eat it snow! Lol

 

[CatMom2]

Today was the first significant snow we've had since we got our Buff Orpingtons last spring. They didn't even want to stay in the covered run for too long. Spent all morning in the coop. We had a lull in the storm this afternoon. I opened up the run door, to let them out, and they freaked out and ran into the coop. . My rooster pecked at the snow that blew into the run, but that's it. I guess the term "chicken" is justified. Does anyone have chickens that are scared of the snow?

My chickens don’t like to be out when it is snowing, but will go out if it’s on the ground. They free range and will walk through it. I love to see their cute foot prints in the snow. My hens aren’t too afraid of anything really. If I’m outside, they feel safe.