How will my chickens do in snow?

[cluckmecoop7]

Yep. You'll see a lot of little bite marks out of the snow.
Some chickens don't mind the snow as much as others. Shoveling paths for them will get them out.
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Nice pics! Thanks for the info. GTG now...

 

[cluckmecoop7]

Are both those breeds good for 'winter climate'? What are my Buff Orpington's and Golden Laced Wyandotte's going to do all winter?

They may do great in your climate, they may not. That's not because of breed but how will you house and manage them? If they have decent wind protection and good ventilation they can do great. How many chickens you have and how much room is available to them makes a big difference. The tighter they are squeezed the more likely you are to have issues.

Will they like snow? If not what do I do?

Chickens don't like change. When mine wake up to a white world they avoid it like the plague for a couple of days. Eventually some of mine will go out in it but not necessarily all of them. I think it helps when grass or weeds are sticking through so they have a reason to go out and forage some. We all have different conditions, if yours are confined to a barren run with nothing but snow in it they are less likely to go out.

My chickens were outside when this snow (about 1") started falling. The change was gradual enough that they just stayed out in it. If this snow had fallen overnight they would not have been out in it.


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How do I make sure they don't get frostbite?

Frostbite is the biggest risk. They are like you, there is a risk of frostbite anytime the temperature is below freezing. But you don't get frostbite every time you go out in freeing temperatures. They don't either. But if you put water on exposed skin you are at a tremendous risk for frostbite. You need to manage moisture in the coop. The best way to do that is to provide plenty of ventilation but don't allow a cold wind to hit them, especially on the roost. Moisture can come from their breath, poop, their drinking water, spilled or leaking drinking water, or rain or snow blowing in. The way I manage that is to have opening s well over their heads when they are on the roosts.

So they only get frost bite when its below freezing, Right?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Wyandottes were developed in New York in the 1870s. Hence the name.
Orpingtons were developed in Great Britain in the 1800s. So both breeds are good with winter.
For snow, I cover it with straw to give the birds something insulative to walk on.
They do eat snow but mostly when thawed water is scarce.
To prevent frostbite, make sure the coop is well ventilated to remove moisture. Humidity rather than cold is the main source of frostbite.

 

[TooCheep]

You need to buy or make little snow plow aprons for them to move around in the snow.

Some things to help with colder weather:

• Both of your breeds are good in cold weather, so you are good there.
• Make sure the main coop allows for good ventilation (usually towards the top) without having direct drafts onto the birds.
• I like to put plastic around their covered run so that they can run around during the day and be out of the snow. Not everyone does this, but it is an inexpensive way to make life a little better for them.
• Possibly the single most important item: Make sure you have a source of non-frozen water available. There are multiple ways to do this, but most common is some form of electrically heated water source, generally with a thermostat to automatically turn on/off the heat.
• If your birds are used to some free range time, there will be periods when bad conditions seriously hinder this. Look for some things for them to play with to keep them from feeling "cooped up" and picking on the lower status birds out of boredom.

 

[TooCheep]

So they only get frost bite when its below freezing, Right?

Well below freezing. I wouldn't even think about it until it gets down to 10 degrees or less.

 

[slordaz]

Mine do well even when we hit -30 F , plenty of ventilation, and I put some straw down in bottom of the coop, no extra light or heat. I do have to so out and shovel an area for them they go out and play for a bit during the day, I add some things to keep them busy in the coop . if it's that cold I treat them with some cooked oatmeal with a dash of cayenne pepper. Vaseline can be applied to combs and wattles. But the hens seem to do pretty good

 

[PirateGirl]

Think about yourself on the days it is cold and snowy. Are you at risk of frostbite? Sometimes, maybe, but often it can be below freezing without serious risk of frostbite. They also have the ability to go back in their coop and up on their roost to huddle together and warm up a bit.

Honestly the wind bothers my chickens in winter far more than the snow. If it is windy and cold they will hide in their coop. If it is zero degrees F and sunny and calm, they happily come out and scratch about. If there is fresh snow on the ground, they sleep in, that is to say, they come outside eventually to eat and drink and scratch about, but they stare cautiously down the ramp and out the window for an hour first. Once one brave chicken heads out, they all follow. Make sure they have a wind block, a covered area that stays relatively snow free is nice, and thawed water and plenty to eat (staying warm burns calories).

 

[fldiver97]

My chickens will go out in the snow .... if it’s barely covering the ground or if I shovel a path. When we have winter storms or heavy snowfall they usually don’t want to leave the coop and run. The run stays dry and snow free, has a full roof and I cover the sides with heavy clear plastic to keep wind and snow out but let light in. I leave a few inches on the top uncovered for ventilation. The chickens can dust bathe, they have several tree branches and a chicken swing in the run. I also put a thick layer of dry leaves in the run late fall, it keeps them busy to scratch around and by spring it’s gone. Inside the coop I keep the shavings a bit deeper than in summer and use PDZ sprinkled in shavings occasionally to help reduce moisture from any droppings that escape the spot cleaning. I scoop the PDZ filled poop board daily. No issues with frostbite.

 

[PirateGirl]

If you are really worried, you could trade in your chickens for some ducks! Ducks love the snow!

 

[ValerieJ]

I shovel pathways for my chickens. Some of them use the pathways and others just tromp across the snow. We rarely get more than a few inches of snow in SW WA. Also I have a covered shelter in the run so they can have outdoor space away from rain and snow. We rarely get temps in the teens and have had no issues with frost bite at all.