Cold-weather exercise ideas?

[liz_s]

Hi!

My girls are currently confined (by their own choosing!) to their coop- about a 4'x5' space, including nesting boxes. We just got a ton of snow dumped on us, with more on the way, and have had temps right around zero. It's "warming" up, so they may be a little more likely to venture out of the coop, but they definitely don't like walking on the snow. I read in another thread about laying down straw on the snow for them, and I'm considering doing that so that they'll move around a bit, hopefully. How do you guys exercise your chickens in the winter? Without moving around much they aren't eating much, and I want to make sure they are taking care of themselves. Thanks for any input!

 

[CMV]

They are conserving their resources for the long winter ahead. They don't need exercise. The best thing you can do for them would be to offer up some chicken entertainment toys and perhaps a removable dust bath for them. The one thing birds seem to miss the most in the winter is a nice, dry patch of unfrozen dirt for dust bathing.

Good luck.

 

[liz_s]

I was definitely wondering about where they would bathe. A removable dust bath is a great idea-thanks! By exercise, I guess I more meant just moving out of their coop. I was worried about them getting cabin fever! But today is not as freezing, and they are out and about, but in a laid-back way!

Thanks for the input!