Chickens and Snow

[Tholian]

A fellow chicken friend and I were chatting on how our chickens won't go out in the snow. I have even shoveled areas for them to prance around, and they still stay in the coop. Does anyone know exactly why they do this. Is it just too cold on their feet?

 

[Chic-n-farmer]

Put their feed outside and their water. That will get them moving.

 

[pharmchickrnmom]

I bribe them with treats. Their stomachs overrule their heads and they pile out to get the goodies.

 

[oesdog]

My chickens are a bit thick they ran around like idiots eating the snow - they thought it was treats????? I mean as soon as a bit landed they were all over it and fighting to get eating the little balls of frost that formed???? My Betty went on a wonder up the garden and then got stuck when she realised she was the otherside of a snow covered lawn! I had to go get her!!!!!! It was so funny to see her flapping like mad to try and keep her little feet off the snow!! I think they are all glad the snow is away now to be honest. They like the sun and they much prefer to dig holes to bath in.

Oesdog

 

[superchemicalgirl]

After shoveling the snowy area I throw some shavings from the coop onto the snow. You could also do hay. This helps me cause I can't clean the coop during winter, so I shovel some nasty shavings out onto the ground and then put new into the coop. Hopefully the shavings on the ground will help too, when the snow melts to help solidify some of the mud in mud season.

I throw some seeds or scratch on top of it to entice them even more. Try it! You've got nothing to lose if it doesn't work.

 

[AinaWGSD]

It's new, and strange, and scary. And it might hurt them. And yes, it's cold on their poor little feet. Mine would not leave the coo after the first snow. I finally enticed them out by throwing some scratch on the snow. But that was just a very small amount, less than an inch. More than an inch and they wouldn't come out again. Until I shoveled their ramp. And the run. And threw down some straw for them to walk on. Now the spoiled things don't want to come out until after I've shoveled and raked up the straw or throw fresh straw down. But they have gotten used to the snow enough to venture out of the run with an inch or so on the ground. Of course, they venture out and then prefer to hang out under the saw horses on the patio where there is no snow. But I've found their little chicken footprints in the snow all over the yard. But I do think it does get cold, because even when given the option to come out they tend to prefer hanging out in the run where the straw is. And the first time I threw straw down I felt warmer standing in the run!

 

[ryanhodapp]

my coop is inside our garage. They sneaked out of the coop into the rest of the garage. We fixed the hole and then they slowed down on eggs. The hole has been opened again.
spoiled girls!