Chickens Afraid of SNOW!

[pontoosuc]

I received the same grumblings this morning. Opened the pop door, they all started running out,
saw the snow, and immediately stopped!

Morning scraps kept 2 outside, the rest ran back into the coop and just watched me as I did
chores. They grumbled more. Threw some BOSS in their outdoor run. Nothing.

Guess they thought that the hatchery made a mistake in shipping them to New England instead
of Florida!

 

[HyLinda]

I shoveled a path from the coop to the water and covered it with hay. They have been venturing out and scratching in the hay. Two of my very brave hens, a Golden Comet and a Barred Rock something, continue to explore the world and lay an egg or two in the hay barn. The others will not venture off of their hay-covered path.

Thanks again for the hay suggestion.

 

[bobbi-j]

We have about 12" of snow on the ground here in western MN. My birds haven't left the coop since it started. Tomorrow I'll put some hay down for them. I have big alfalfa bale that was left over from last year, and I know they love alfalfa!

 

[Where The Wild Things Are]

My girls are afraid of 2 things...an empty food dish, and snow!

 

[woodmort]

Quote:
Ever accidentally drop a glove on the ground? All you have to do is freak out one bird and the rest go nuts.

 

[centrarchid]

Deep snow (> 6") can be bad news for chickens beyond issue of not being able find food easily and cold feet. Progress by walking is greatly hendered and energetically more demanding. We used to pasture hogs. Hogs have no problem moving through snow upto 18". When we got heavy snow events, hogs began to chase, catch and eat chickens trying to move any distance across snow. Chickens sank too much to run and had great difficulty taking off for flight once in snow. We had games, survivors where those that flew from bare spot to bare spot. Chickens were largely restricted to barns until wind created bare spots around pastures and feed lots. It was during these events I began to appreciate flight potential of my games and saw how extreme selection could be for those lacking a particular attribute.

Most predators chickens deal with can navigate snow better than chickens so that must be part of their equation governing whether or not to trudge through heavy snow.

Edit: Also for the fear factor, walking about in snow also makes you easier to see, even if you appear white on a dark background.

 

[Kinniburgh]

We got 8 inches 7 days ago and I still have no takers for the scratch I put out in the run! What a bunch of chickens. I had to do a cleaning yesterday and kicked them to the ramp, where they just all piled up. Well, all except the first one out who ended up under the coop. So last night when I went to close the pop door I noticed a very mad chicken still under the coop with no intention of stepping foot into the snow to go up into the coop. Fast forward to me begging and pleading on my hands and knees and FINALLY caring Penny back to the warmth and safety of the coop. Here, she was met with inquiries from the other ladies as to how she managed to survive the "white horror!"

 

[ozark hen]

Quote:
good story

 

[woodmort]

Today I was working in the coop and the birds were, as per usual, all around my feet and out standing on the front step, complaining about the snow but not willing to go out in it, I opened the coop door and it startled one of the SS to the point she flew off the step and landed in a foot of snow about 20 feet away. She was paralyzed. I had to wade out to her, pick her up and carry her back to the coop. The thing is she isn't the calmest bird I have and usually shies away from me but she was completely calm through the whole process.

 

[centrarchid]

We just got a 3" snow event with cold wind creating lots of drifts, some pushing 16". Birds going out into it, spending lots of time in heavy cover all fluffed up. They are making occasional runs to feed stations to top off crops but otherwise remaining relatively inactive. I can not get free range birds to drink water while birds in pens pound it down during immediatly after it is applied.

I placed a couple wind breaks near feeding stations so birds do not have to go so far for feed. So far, they are loyal to their fence row and goldenrod patch, must give them better visibility in respect to predators. And they are still liking the direct sun, good day to be a dark chicken to suck up heat of those rays.

A snow event without lots of wind would not provide bare spots these guys like to be near. Otherwise the wind steals body heat big time.