Chickens feet are red and wrinkled - HELP me please!! (PICS ADDED)

[cluckmecoop7]

@EggSighted4Life - LOL, that's funny! I think the last pic is just the lighting. I looked her feet over before the picture and yeah, that wasn't there. I'm pretty sure it's the lighting.
It is there very first winter. Period. I got them from TSC when they were 1 or 2 days old. So this MUST be their first winter. My coop is not big enough to keep them penned up in all day. As I said, I have six girls so...? I don't want to waste my money on things that will "disappear".... although I might be able to get some hay.

@aart - Yes, they can get under the coop. But I'm not sure if the dirt is frozen or not. I do know that there is no snow under there, though.

@Tortoise - Thanks!!!

 

[aart]

It seems pretty dry.

Check when the temp is below freezing....if it's not frozen it's dry.
I shovel part of the run so there's always some snow free areas to walk around on, as well as the area under the coop. Adding more bedding isn't going to make shoveling any easier, tho I do spread a thin layer shavings or straw if it's icy.

 

[cluckmecoop7]

Thanks all. I'm not sure if I'll be able to buy hay or not. @CatWhisperer - I will check. CreamPuff's feet were looking a little red today. As I said, I will check on Kiwi.

 

[cluckmecoop7]

You don't have to get it all, just shovel/scrape off most of it.



Don't give them warm food...they aren't humans....and the steam from the hot food can cause condensation on their face skin, or they step in it and get their feet wet.

They just need a good chicken ration and thawed water.

The first winter is hard, but do not overreact, they are tougher than you think.

Thanks! You are comforting me very much! So I should just feed them their regular chicken food?

 

[Nay]

I saw a post on here somewhere that used a old flattered cardboard box as a barrier for the snow. Works in a pinch until you can get some hay out there.

 

[aart]

Thank you guys. Would cardboard make them slip, or could I use that do you think?

What is your goal?
Trying to keep the chickens off the snow is futile, IMO.
As long as they have a place to get off of it,
in your case in or under the coop,
they will be fine.
Anything you put into the run will layer with more snow and eventually all 'melt' together.

 

[CindyinSD]

Oh, my goal is to keep them from stepping on the snow and making their feet cold.

Stepping on the snow won’t make their feet cold (not enough to bother them). It’s just that many chickens are afraid of the snow... because they’re chickens. Some of mine go out, others don’t, but if the others can see the some, they eventually come out too.

 

[CindyinSD]

Chickens are way tougher than us. They have thick leathery hobbit feet and snow doesn’t hurt them. If it did, they wouldn’t walk on it. Once the flock gets used to the snow, they willingly walk on it. If it melts and then snows again several weeks later, they’ll usually be afraid of it all over again.

 

[Peppercorngal]

Thanks all. I'm not sure if I'll be able to buy hay or not. @CatWhisperer - I will check. CreamPuff's feet were looking a little red today. As I said, I will check on Kiwi.

We can get straw here for $3 a bale. I use lots in the coop, nesting boxes and in the run during winter to keep chicken feet out of endless mud. I throw it out and the chickens will spread it for me! They love to scratch through it looking for seeds. If you need something immediate, you can put an old pallet or two out there for them. They can get on it to get out of the snow if they want to. Just a thought. It does not snow here, I refused to move to a place that snows! Good Luck!

 

[cluckmecoop7]

Do they have a covered shelter with roost they can stand on if they choose?


Posting again before you get an answer moves it off the unanswered board and makes your question more likely to be buried in the endless maze of threads... for future reference. Just leave it alone and wait until someone with experience or knowledge signs on to help as many of us have jobs or other obligations, despite our seemingly endless presence here.

On the other end if your question has left the unanswered board.. doing a little "bump" post can move it back into the "recent" activity board where it might be seen again.

I would do what you can... toss out a piece of plywood, cardboard, an old blanket. Whatever ya got that's not metal.

Maybe plan a covered area for next year??

Add a wooden roost/perch where they are hanging out... 2x4 with cinder block at each end, fallen branch, or even a log to stand on.

Ok, thank you. They have a roost in the run, but it is not covered. They have access to the coop all day. (Which has two roosts, nesting boxes, and wood shavings.)