Do your chickens go out in the snow?

[m.kitchengirl]

My chickens love a sunny, snow covered day. They will poke around the edge of buildings and fencelines where the snow is easily scratched up and try to find a stray meal or so. I usually take advantage of days like that to throw some BOSS into their bedding so they will have something to "forage" and I will get their deep litter turned, fluffed and aerated.

X2.
I live in Maine, so I picked 4 breeds known for hardiness & have not been disappointed.
When snow is REALLY deep I just toss a little hay along my walkway & some kitchen scraps. They don't roam as far, but they stay active if I leave the door open for them to decide on their own.

They are nowhere near as adventurous as my ducks. They were out in sleet & slush & freezing rain yesterday, happily foraging all over the yard.

 

[Linn Bee]

My chickens will wander outside in cold weather, but they don't like the snow. My grandson put one hen down in the snow and she refused to move until he picked her back up and returned her to the coop. DH will shovel a path for me that goes nearly around the house as well as to the coop and garden shed. The chickens will wander back and forth along the path as well as traipse along the house where the snow has melted. Should one get cornered between the snow and the path, it will not venture over the snow to get away.

On the other hand, my granddaughter insisted that Lacy loved her ride down the hill in the sled. I figure she was too frightened to try to get away and gave orders they were to let the chickens decide whether to stay in or not.

 

[Daisy8s]

On the other hand, my granddaughter insisted that Lacy loved her ride down the hill in the sled. I figure she was too frightened to try to get away and gave orders they were to let the chickens decide whether to stay in or not.

That is so funny! It reminds me of the first time my husband and I took our eldest son (2 1/2) to a sledding hill. He refused to go down but insisted that his stuffed animal might like a ride. We agreed, thinking our son would eventually want a ride, but instead he was completely happy to watch his father and I send his stuffed frog down the hill and then trudge back up dragging sled and toy. We must have done this 10 times and yet our son never agreed to his own ride. The memory is funny now--something only new parents would do!

 

[Stacykins]

My Yooper chooks fear no snow! Though if it is really windy they stay in. But they go running through the snow like hilarious little fluffy raptors as soon as I let them out in the morning!

 

[Azriel]

So far mine will not go out in the snow. Their run is covered, so only just a dusting gets in there, but even if I throw scratch out they look out the door then look back at me as if to say "What, you want us to go out in that chicken eating white stuff, No Way" .

 

[Dutch552]

Mine love it. They play in it, eat it, whatever...

 

[flocksalot]

Well the first snow of the year is always hilarious. Especially with the younger group that have never seen that nasty stuff. They try like the dickens to fly over it, but they just can't. Then they sit in their houses for the first day sulking. Then cabin fever sets in and out they come. At first it's dainty steps and lots of jump and hops, but if they want to get to the other house or into the greenhouse they need to persevere. Mine are never kept in no matter the weather, and when they are ready to brave the snow it's awaitin for them. It doesn't take them very long and they are running around and foraging again. Thankfully as the house gets pretty nasty pretty quick if they stay in there too long.

 

[shantelren]

Kind of a late post, but I'm still curious.. my girls were out in it a little bit, but now not at all. I'm in the West Kootenays in BC and we get heaps of snow here. I'm going to go pack down the snow later on as best as I can, and I'll lay some grits out there to get them out again.
Last week and the week before was well below 0C (I'm talking nearly -20C) but so far this week it is up to about +2C so MUCH warmer.
I'll try some of these suggestions, but wanted to say thanks for the ideas even though it wasn't my post

 

[gander007]

My web footed birds do for a short time and the chickens only
investigate and go back inside after feeding time but it only
snows here once every three years .......

gander007

 

[3chickchicks]

Mine were walking around on the ice! They didn't care that they were slipping and sliding. They found places to scratch around regardless.