Free-range American Dominique cockerel and American Game pullet. Latter has not touched ground since sometime Friday. Penned American Game stag that come down to eat. Most have not so far today. Note is pen nearly collapsed due to weight of snow. Supposed to be 4 lines of hotwire. I see only two. Lucy working hard to run through snow. He favorite little bunny buddies now where to be seen. Lucy and I walking behind barn. I have to stop every little bit. Snow back there pushing 20" in places. When you walk, ground a good 6" below your feed. Snow pack very dense. Here is my "ol crap" moment. That 6' tall snow covered mound is my north bamboo patch. That is where the rabbits appear to be hiding. See the fence posts tipped over. I have about 50 yards of the stuff collapsed down on to the fence. Fence is really shorted out. For some reason snow back here not deep. Not much over 6" near my feet. It is also much more compacted.
Pullet in image below flew to barn which is a distance of about 60' and a few feet up. She did it easy. Need to pen her up because her brothers are proving to be pretty good. She is not welcome in barn. All members of the the three flocks living there run her out. The pullet will need to be sneaky as she approaches the feeding station that has still been barely touched. Power to barn completely shorting out now. I think a stretch of wire has been compromised some how. May have to revert back to extension cords.
Do you have straw available? I find that if I sprinkle some around (it really doesn't have to be much at all, just enough that the ground doesn't look completely white anymore) somehow the ground is far less scary than just the snow and the birds will come down to walk on it to feed/drink.
I have straw. The birds will adapt and start coming down. The pens will be moved either when snow melts or packed. Straw for me better when pens not moved. I have acreage so move pens. Makes parasite management easier to.
Where I'm at, we're supposed to get a foot by seven o' clock tonight! A cockerel and a hen came out of the coop but the rest are sensible and are staying in!
The snow is starting to form a thick mush that is easy to see where I walk. Temperature is right at freezing. Once it does get a real freeze, the chickens will have firm surface to walk on. The birds, even those in barn, barely consumed what was put out this morning until just before roosting time.
I feel your pain, but don't want to share with you. Mid January here and only one measurable snow so far.