Chickens in winter

[aart]

You're lucky... Our chickens tend to be too stubborn to go in, and then they get frostbite... Sigh.

Who's lucky?
Most my single combed birds have frostbite...from minor to rather severe.

Well, I belong to the school of thought who believes that frostbite causes suffering in the chickens. I know it's a contentious topic on this forum.

I just wasn't sure who your post about being lucky was addressed to?
I'm sure FB is uncomfortable...but it's pretty hard to avoid in some climates unless you heat the coop.

 

[ChemicalchiCkns]

What kind of chicken is that, almost has an owl shape to it.?

I wish to know as well, but suspicion it to be a CoChin mille floure. Not sure whose flock.

 

[FlyWheel]

Lol
I will go out there with some treats. I gave them a dish of food and water. Since the reg food/water is in the run. I have already raised two daughters. Now I feel like I worry more about these 4 hens than I did with my daughters

Which is rather odd when you consider your hens probably never go out with strange roosters and are always home in bed by sunset!

 

[Eggscaping]

What kind of chicken is that, almost has an owl shape to it.?

I'd like to know as well. It's lovely...looks like a hawk perched there like that!

 

[aart]

What kind of chicken is that, almost has an owl shape to it.?

Where is pic from?

 

[Henrik Petersson]

I just wasn't sure who your post about being lucky was addressed to?
I'm sure FB is uncomfortable...but it's pretty hard to avoid in some climates unless you heat the coop.

I meant the OP.

My way of doing things: If I don't quote someone directly, I'm usually addressing the OP.

 

[Henrik Petersson]

About that hen... Isn't it a Belgian d'Uccle Bantam/Mille Fleur?

 

[ERRJRDN]

• We had a small amount of snow fall last week, and I went out to my coop in the morning and opened the door on the coop to let my chickens out. They didn't jump out of the coop like normal, so I left and went back inside the house. I went back out 2 hours later, and they were still inside the coop! They were too "Chicken" to venture out, LOL. Soon after one hen decided to run around outside, while the rest watched her. It was a long time before others finally got brave enough to leave the coop. Once out they did walk around in the snow ok.

 

[Shadrach]

this is my second winter with my 4 chickens. However this is my first winter we have had significant snowfall. My chickens clearly don’t like the snow. Even though no snow is in their run. They are not coming out of the coop. I placed water and food in the coop. And put a light source in the coop. Safely of course. Should I be worried or is it normal for them to stay in the coop?

Well no, chickens probably don't 'like' snow. It may have something to do with their ancestors not seeing a lot of snow in the jungle.
Here when it does snow, which isn't often, they will peer at it from the safety of their coops for a bit and eventually head out to eat etc with much standing on one leg and shaking the strange white stuff off the other. They learn to dig through it for food after a while and perch on branches during the day more.

 

[centrarchid]

this is my second winter with my 4 chickens. However this is my first winter we have had significant snowfall. My chickens clearly don’t like the snow. Even though no snow is in their run. They are not coming out of the coop. I placed water and food in the coop. And put a light source in the coop. Safely of course. Should I be worried or is it normal for them to stay in the coop?

Mine also tend to avoid snow, but will venture out into or at least over it if they can get something as a reward. If they have their preferences, they will spend day away from where they roost assuming it is not too cold. What I do is put about some hay bales such that they provide a snowless location to stand and be out of the wind. It is even better when they can be in sun at same time. I like bust part of a bale and scatter feed and grains in the busted hay so they can scratch about for the eats. Getting the birds out helps control moisture and feces buildup in coop as well.

My favorite configuration with the hay bales has them forming a V pointing northwest so they can get morning sun. Sometimes it is good to put something out like a wooden pallet so it makes a little cave they can enter or perch over.