It is snowing. The Flock is locked up. What do you do ?

[technodoll]

My flock is locked in the coop from late November to mid-April...

This is why (taken today... you're looking at their coop!):

They seem to adapt. They all get along pretty well (in their separate pens...), they have the radio on all day with music, they have heating lamps, lights, roosting spots and nesting boxes, I visit them 3 to 4 times per day with warm water, food and treats... They have a suet holder and most of the time whole veggies to peck at (zucchinis, cabbage, etc), I throw scratch in their bedding.

On warmer days (at or just below freezing point) I prop their coop door open so they have access to the 2nd, un-insulated coop whose entire floor is one awesome dust bath (12 x 14 "hen spa"), they love it but after a couple of hours they're all back in the warm coop.

There is NO WAY any of them want to get NEAR all that snow!

Heck. Neither do I!

 

[Terri O]

Mine can go out in the run only...it has chain link on the top but it snows in there. They peck the snow on my boots and like it. Sometimes I put a shovelful in the coop and they like to eat it too. I guess they are intrigued because in their last home they were not allowed out in the snow. In spring they can free range...it will be interesting to see what they do. I do get frost bite on some of them...I am sad that my grand champion Australorp will not have such a perfect comb in the spring....oh well. Terri O

The coop is the building in the back

 

[skovats]

First time mine stayed inside I guess cause of the high wind and snow and they wont walk in the snow at all is that normal I have to shovel an area for them??

 

[Terri O]

No,they will go out on snow if you let them and the sun is out. Terri O

 

[Buugette]

When my bantams are given the choice... they line up at the sliding glass door and beg to come into the sunroom. I'm a softy... I let them in. They can visit the coop and run on milder days... and move back in when the weather is more stable. High of 24 today... they wouldn't go near the door to go out.

 

[bigoakhunter]

My girl's have gone out evey day on their own accord. They have a run that is roofed, with metal roofing. It was a high of 18 degrees today, with a low of 6 degrees this morning and as soon as I opened the poop door they were out. And stayed out most of the day. Till 4pm.

The roof keeps the snow off and they seem to deal with the cold.

 

[wildorchid053]

ok technodoll you can quit sending me your snow!!!! it hasn't stopped at all and i cant get to the coop.. hubby will have to plow a trail.. it is 4' deep out there and we are supposed to be snow all week..good thing i know they have heated waterers and plenty of feed.. i just hate them cooped up so much. we also turned on the red heat lamp. it is single digits.... poor babies

 

[Uzuri]

They go out in the snow here.

Well, let me clarify that: they go out in the snow when the roads aren't so bad that I have to leave early for work and can't let them out late enough to be safe(r) from predators. Snow bothers me more than it bothers them evidently.

 

[Amethyste]

It's only snow lol

Mine go out and play in it all the time... they always have access to the run during the day unless a) freezing rain b) heavy heavy snow c) major windstorm etc.

If they didnt have the option to go out they would never go out here lol In winter we commonly get a few bits of snowfall off and on from a few inches to last years 2.5 feet! And they went out in it lol We had to dig a path for them, but the sun was shining, no reason they couldnt go out.

The very few times they have to be locked up due to weather, I make sure they have a flock block, a treat ball. and lots of things in the veggies cage. They don't "play"...their play is mostly to look for food. So, I make sure they have things to nibble at... greens, and a hanging cabbage to jump for....etc. I bring them out a warm breakfast in the morning and they do fine. Its a large coop for 9 birds, so they have plenty of room.

 

[CARS]

I've had chickens for about 5 years now and like the NYer's and Canadians, mine are in for the season. My whole acreage has 20" of snow but the drifts in the run and along the barn are averaging 4' deep.

I throw in some alfalfa hay in the coops once in a while for greens. Other than that I lock them in and try to keep a deep liter method going. Not by choice. I would prefer a clean coop, but I have no way to get to the compost pile through all that snow!