Fall/Winter hen behavior?

[Chickadeedeedeedee]

Hi All!

This is our first fall/winter with our tiny flock and I was wondering what to expect from them. We are in Northern California where it doesn't get terribly cold in the winter. However, in the last few days, they haven't wanted to be in their larger roaming area at all unless I throw some treats in there. They'll eat the treats and then go back to the run or coop. They are still laying, they are eating and drinking, look well, they just don't have much interest in foraging around. The lows overnight have been around 40 and the days range from 60-65. Does this seem normal for the change of time/season? Nothing else has changed in their outdoor area.

 

[azygous]

Late fall can be far less interesting to little critters that derive their main joy from scratching productively in the soil and browsing amongst tender spring and summer grasses and weeds. Insects are cocooned or buried deep for winter, and greenery has lost its sweet taste. If they were human children they would be complaining that there's nothing to do outside.

 

[Tonyroo]

It's normal I'm in the same area. My chickens lounge around the coop area, my backyard is there run. But they aren't interested and there molting.