Chickens in winter

[aart]

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

Always good to use quotes, avoids confusion

 

[Betsy57]

I shovel a path for the chickens from the coop and an area around the coop so they can get outside. The coop is about 3' off the ground so some go under there. Most go out wondering around and then wonder all over in the snow. So at first they're a bit scared of the snow but then one will venture out and the rest follow. I have tons of chicken prints in the snow right now. Kinda of funny looking

 

[OlympicChick]

Mine would not venture out at all until today. There is still snow on the ground, but over by the compost pile (which is their favorite spot), the snow has pretty much all melted, so they got up the nerve to follow the head hen over there. It's been so cold that my three silkies actually flew up to roost with my three big girls!!! Where there's a will there's a way I guess.

 

[SueT]

My Spitzhaubens are more likely to be seen walking in snow and ice than my other breeds. This breed originated in Switzerland, maybe some breeds are better with snow than others?

 

[The Lazy L]

...They are not coming out of the coop. I placed water and food in the coop. ...

Northern Indiana here. Water and food is in their run. If they want to eat they will have to leave the coop, which they do. You do have adequate coop ventilation correct?

 

[MinniesMomma]

After reading all these posts and looking at the beautiful, snow-covered coops, I am very thankful that we don't have snow here!

 

[Aunt Angus]

After reading all these posts and looking at the beautiful, snow-covered coops, I am very thankful that we don't have snow here!

Amen! So cold. So much shoveling. But so so so pretty! I'll admire it from afar...

 

[moniquem]

Mine have been in their coop/run too. I do a really good clean of run and coop weekly since they are spending so much time in there.
I was also worried that they werent able to dust bath and eat grit so I set up an old dresser drawer with fresh dirt mixed with their old dust bath dirt in it, they love that!
I shoveled a path to the old dust bath area but its around the corner from the coop/run and I think all the "white stuff" scared them to much to make the attempt

 

[Aunt Angus]

Mine have been in their coop/run too. I do a really good clean of run and coop weekly since they are spending so much time in there.
I was also worried that they werent able to dust bath and eat grit so I set up an old dresser drawer with fresh dirt mixed with their old dust bath dirt in it, they love that!
I shoveled a path to the old dust bath area but its around the corner from the coop/run and I think all the "white stuff" scared them to much to make the attempt

I love the idea of the dresser drawer! I set up a bath for my girls in the covered part of their run, and they want nothing to do with it. The prefer to make their own holes and cram themselves in there all at the same time.

 

[tweetzone86]

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?

I'd love to hear the answer to this as well because mine have looked outside and then looked at me like they thought I was crazy if they were to set even one feather out there lol! Our "coop" is the tail end of a 10x20 shed (we built a framed and chicken-wire wall with a door so they have the back 6 feet) with a small door leading out to a 140 square foot run. Now, I didn't get a roof on before I got on lifting restriction pre-surgery (recovering from said surgery now), so I have 18" of accumulated snow in the run.

So our solution was to just break a hay bale in the rest of the shed and deal with scraping the poop up and repainting the wall (the previous owner finished it and the dumb birds apparently think drywall tape tastes good...sigh) and getting what poop may have ended up on the built-in cabinets in there off in the spring. It was better than them going crazy in a 60 square foot coop area (I have 12 RIR).