Chickens & Snow - do they get used to it, or do they always hate it?

[Pretty Pony]

We just got 8" of snow and I have left my "Dixie Chicks and Rooster Bob" locked inside since it was just in the 20's. Today, it is going to be in the 60's (go figure!)so I thought I would let them out for a while. I might have to snow them a path though.

I like the saw-horse idea and might give that a try.

 

[Mrs MIA]

It's 6°F here this morning (-6 yesterday!) and most of the chickens ventured outside on their own. The sawhorses work great, though.

 

[Guinea Goonie]

I can not wait for the chickens to see a good snow. It is not that I am particullary cruel, but I think it will be one day I bust my gut with laughter.

 

[4 Love of Baby Chickens]

Oh you should've seen one of my hens and my BR rooster last winter. I had about 3 hens who had gone thru winter the year before so it wasn't anything new to them but my poor Marshmellow (she's always the first hen to go out to the outer run) ran out then suddenly started flying until she got to a roosting bar in the run!!! And my rooster (at the time) squacked a alarm because it was snowing and then he tried to herd the hens inside. All but 3 hens and Marshmellow went inside and he was quickly told off by the hens to "Leave us alone"!!!

I had to climb thru a 2X2 hole to get Marshmellow to put her up with the rest of the chickens. After 2 days they calmed down and actually enjoys the snow now.

Which is kinda surprising.

 

[FrontPorchIndiana]

This morning was our first experience with snow. You would have thought there was toxic waste littered throughout the run by their expressions. Then I had the audacity to throw their scratch into it. I swear if they could speak they would have been saying "What are you doing you crazy woman?" Finally someone fell off the gang plank and decided it wasn't really going to kill them after all and by the end of the day they all had a tromp in it.

 

[vermontgal]

Thanks for the stories! My gals with their 2nd floor coop basically have been deciding not to come out when they see the snow. They don't have a run. Their coop gives them about 6-7 sq ft of floor space per bird over 2 stories, but so far they still would rather stay cooped up than try the snow.

I'm certainly going to encourage them to go out. I try to give them the opportunity on most decent-weather days.

LynneP - thanks for your winter page. VERY nice. Gotta love those nor'easters for the full snow-plastering effect! We don't get the full effect in Vermont so much, but I enjoyed many coastal "jackpot" snow storms when living in Boston and Portland ME.

It sounds to me like chickens really don't like the snow when it is new and therefore scary -- but they don't ever really become friendly with the snow even once the newness factor wears off.

Thanks - everyone - for all the stories!

 

[crazyhen]

Mine looked at it a minute and then began to catch the falling flakes like bugs. It was so funny. We also had small balls of ice( we call it hominy snow) they ate it too. Finally at 4:30 pm It was beginning to get cold so I put them in an hour early. I know they had to be cold but like kids wanted to just be out in this stuff. funn Brahma. Jean

 

[LynneP]

We've just installed snow boards to minimize drifting, and vinyl; sheeting on the outside of a run door to baffle wind and snow without diminishing light. I'll post pics soon on my home page, linked below. The system doesn't keep all snow out, but I really hate having 2+ feet of snow in there!

 

[Barn Maid Ann]

Lat year I had 4 golden Comets. We got snow early in Dec. Gladys, the bravest and my little best buddy came right out into it. One other brave one came the next day and one more the third day (snow was more trampled by then). I finally had to go get the 4th. We have only a 4x8 coop and the run is only 6x8. But I let them out to free range each day. The big barn is only a 50' dash from the coop, and once in there, they have a lot more space to roam, while being indoors.
After that initial snow, temps plummeted. Gladys died suddenly. I don't know if it was the cold, but I suspected it. She was fine in the AM and died shortly after I got home from work. A friend said I should have left them in the coop. I don't know if that would have saved Gladys or not. I still miss her a year later.

We'll see how this years batch of chickens handle the snow. We are supposed to get an inch on Wed. Just enough for an introduction.

 

[vermontgal]

Sorry to hear about snow-brave-girl Gladys. I hope your chickens this year thrive in the winter.