How will my chickens do in snow?

[cluckmecoop7]

So my chickens will need to go outside every time they need a drink? What if theres a blizzard or something?

 

[Cryss]

That's why I have tarp wrap and a cover over about 1/3-1/2 if the run, the part closest to the coop. My run is 10x30. The food and water are just outside the coop. Food and water inside attract vermin and spills cause condensation and frostbite.

 

[Feathers Brady]

 

[chkncrazy]

A. I can't believe we're talking about snow already..
Anddd
B.I let my chickens out during the winter on most days that are good which is about 90% of them when it snows and stuff I let them out until it snows and then after I snow blow

 

[TooCheep]

Not really surprising. There are always new people and it can take time to get your winter setup ready. I'm on another forum related to fruit trees and people are talking about fall and winter activities there as well.

 

[Tim OHara]

This was good info for me since we just got our chickens and live in Nebraska. I will have to devise a cover for part of the run and plan to shovel. I was planning to move the food in and we have a heated water bowl that maybe I will leave out by the ramp.

 

[SpazzWhoElse]

Waaaiit aaaa minute..? My hubby thinks he's supposed to lock them in the coop.. till spring, I guess. The chicken expert --i mean HE said, "they're chickens they don't do winter, you put them away until next year! " (insert a head tilt here) "iiiii" was saying, nooo hon, you open the door and give them the option to go outside or not. Do YOU stay inside all winter?" (Insert rolling eyes here) So please tell me my friends- what's the procedure?

 

[rosemarythyme]

So my chickens will need to go outside every time they need a drink? What if theres a blizzard or something?

Depends on your set up of course, but yes mine need to go into the run to drink. Last year when we got a bunch of snow dumped in succession over 2 or 3 weeks, I was having to shovel a path from pop door to the waterer every morning. As we don't normally get that kind of snow, it's not something I compensated for (otherwise I'd have a roofed run).

Thanks to the snow for a good solid 2 weeks the chickens were down to a minimal run space (just a path to waterer, human door, and a small clearing) but they got by just fine without too much crankiness. I tried to keep them busy by dumping bagged leaves where I could, and adding a flock block for short periods.

 

[aart]

So please tell me my friends- what's the procedure?

There are many procedures......already 4 pages in this thread.
Depends on your climate and set up.
One of them could be to lock them up all winter, but that's not a good idea.

 

[Cryss]

You are right. Let them decide. Open the pop door. Have a cover over a section of run that can bear snow load weight, slanted not flat so snow can slide off easily. Chickens don't like snow but they don't mind cold. If you try to lock them up all winter you better have about 10sqft feet of space per bird!
My husband worked on an egg farm in England since he was 14. He collected over 6000 eggs every day for 25 years from chickens.12 years after he came to the USA we got 4 chickens. He is amazed at how little he knew about raising chickens. Now I know more than him! Remind your hubby that there's always room for learning. You never know what you don't know.