Chickens Afraid of SNOW!

[woodmort]

My chickens lucked out today. We're on the warm side of that storm that hit the midwest--freezing rain this am that turn over to all rain--so the snow is melting. Despite the rain the temperatures are in the upper 40's and the chickens are running around all over the place now that they don't have to go through that "stuff". They better enjoy today because this is slated to turn back tonight and then go back into the 0 - 20* range for the rest of the week with more LES.

 

[lisababes]

Mine are also holed up inside the coop after this snowstorm. I had to individually carry each of them out to the run this morning, to their dismay. They stayed down there to eat and drink for a while, but then right back up to the coop. I might kick them out again, to make sure they get down there to drink some water. Tomorrow should be interesting - big winds and negative windchills. Will shovel a bit in the run when this wind calms down. I put up a small wind barrier near the food, but they still don't like to be out there.
After all, the sky is falling, right?

 

[centrarchid]

Freezing rain seems to be a real problem for my birds. They can not scratch down through it for greens nor can they roost on elevated locations such as tree limbs and sometimes even fence boards. I do not see how roosters that insist on roosting exposed in freezing rain keep from becoming flightless.

 

[centrarchid]

Quote:
Most of my birds are on the heavy side now. Fat reserves must be important for them getting through a couple days of real nasty weather by holing up as you indicate. Once fat reserves largely depleted they will put more effort into eating. Young birds though do not appear have stored much in the way of fat, all food going into prptein deposition. Young birds I think will have hardest times with these blizzard like conditions.

 

[tagra123]

Our White Rocks and Rhode Island Reds don't care for it at first but get used to it after a while they just look outside like we do. Yuck! Too much snow.

Our Buckeyes enjoy the snow as much as the summer grass ????

 

[centrarchid]

Now that snow is on ground for second day and temperatures are lower, some of my free ranging birds are flying from snowless patch to snowless patch. Distances covered 30 to 45 feet. Games and red jungle fowl do it with ease and could go much farther if need be. Doms go about 2/3 of distance and run across snow rest of way.

All have lost about 1/4 of their body weight before motivated to go more exposed feed stations. If like previous years, then birds will feed back up to normal weight and keep weight on when next cold snap hits. I do not like the weight drop as I am afraid it will keep going down.

They seem to literally get cold feet and spend much of the time perched above snow. Still not showing interest in water provided, must be eating snow or retaining water better whe temperature low. I provided a deep litter mass of straw behind a wind break which should give them a better refuge from cold elements while providing exposure to full sun.

 

[abhaya]

We got 6 inches last night.
guess my gals are odd. They came out and did their chicken thing didnt seem too bothered.
The silkies on the other hand aint coming out for nothin and told me so

 

[pidgejr]

I thought they were dead this morning! I had to open the egg box and check to see they were alive (they were). Didn't come out at all all day yesterday and this morning,except a short time in the morning yesterday. Only three came out (I have 12). I finally figured ,as many have here, it was too cold for their little tootsies and scraped away some snow and threw down hay. A few are venturing out now.. Keeping an eye on them to make sure they drink and eat something today.

 

[aoifehen1]

Put some hay down on snow then put out some food. Soon they will realize that snow is ok.

 

[JohnInDixon]

Whew... I thought it was just mine - first winter. Will they ever get over it? Don't remember them being afraid when I was little.