My chickens don't like snow.

[Duckfarmer1]

The straw is a great idea, but will cost you in the end. The cheapest way, and, you’ll need a door anyway...is to make a door and shovel. My “play area” is much bigger and I read how they hate snow so went out today and shoveled a ton...well they came right out! So, it only cost me a little time. Good luck! Nice coop...

 

[gtaus]

1. How do I keep them from getting bored?
2. How do I teach them to "like" snow?

This is my first winter with laying hens and I too am going through these very same issues. Here are some of my thoughts on your questions....

1. How do I keep them from getting bored? I'm not sure chickens get bored like humans would. My birds seem to do fine if they have something to eat and drink. I grow barley fodder for them in the winter and that provides some greens for them. They seem to enjoy that. I also throw scratch and whole corn into the coop litter so they can peck and scratch for treats. Other than food, I think having more than recommended space inside the coop is important so the chickens don't start attacking each other in close quarters.

2. How do I teach them to "like" snow? Yeah, my chickens have not gone outside for almost a week after we got about 6 inches of snow on the ground - and in their run. I bagged up and saved a lot of leaves this fall, and later on will spread some of those leaves out on the snow. Maybe that will encourage them to venture outside the coop. My ultimate plan for next winter is to provide them with some kind of a covered run, even if small, that will keep the snow out. I don't think they mind the cold, but they just look at all that white snow outside and decide it's better to stay indoors.

I think you mentioned that you do not have a gate for your chicken run. I would suggest you build a gate for the run because anything could happen. I have a dog kennel panel with a gate that I use, but next winter I want to build a gate that is at least 12 inches off the ground. The dog gate works great for most of the year, but I have to constantly keep it shoveled down to the ground in winter or it will not open. I live in snow country, and it is not uncommon to get 12 inches, or more, or snow in a single day. A big storm would dump even more on us.

 

[cluckmecoop7]

Thank you everyone!
I'm gonna see if I can just sweep or shovel some of the run for them. But I don't think they will be coming out today because its already 3:00 PM and we are loosing light - already! And its still snowing pretty hard.
Thanks for all the advice! And if anyone has anymore info, feel free to share it!!!

 

[Duckfarmer1]

This is our first winter. With chickens ..great advice to lift the gates...we have herd animals too..no one does that around here...hmm? Wonder why?

As for the getting bored issues.. I read a great thread on here..but I don’t remember it..sorry. It involves giving your chickens some clutter. Perhaps if the coop is small, you could just put a small pot, or a little ladder. She said that chickens like to hide sometimes to get a break from the others. I have two sets of chickens. Older who are not free range. And then my pellets and cockerels who are. The young bunch love to go towards our scrap pile. (We have a farm). So, by the coops is where we keep the scrap metal and the young birds hang out in that junk all the time!! In the coop of my older birds my husband made them a cover for over the feeder. They love it. So, I had him make me a few little things, like a ladder and a little bench. They love it.

Out in the run is where you could put larger junk. Only problem is...make is cute stuff if you still want everything to look so nice... But, the woman in the thread had a pallet tipped on an angle and some branches. I’m going to put some strategic objects that are easy to shovel around!

Good luck!

 

[Armstrt8]

Hey! I'm still new to this but I'm in MN and this past snowstorm my girls did the exact same thing. Seen the snow and said NOPE!
I added/made 2 feeders for inside the coop, gave them extra greens on the cold days to pack away at, and put straw down. Once straw was down they came out and in turn them exploring melted/ moved the snow. So even just a couple handfuls of hay could get em out and and moving to then clear more.

IMO, if I had your current setup I would enclose the underside of the coop on 2 sides with a tarp/shadecloth/plastic/ or anything to just stop the snow. Then if it snows just drop a tiny bit of hay or chips or something down under their ramp amd they could come outside and at least go outside the coop out of the snow.

 

[21hens-incharge]

My big run is to 16'x23'. To big to roof without a good pitch and overhead lines are hanging low enough to prevent that.

I took extra roofing metal and leaned it inward on one end of the run. It took a little extra bracing but that area stays dry in winter and shaded in summer.
In no way does it protect the whole run. I shovel paths to it when it snows. If the snow is not extremely deep I shovel the whole run.

No worse than shoveling a driveway in suburbia.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Hey! I'm still new to this but I'm in MN and this past snowstorm my girls did the exact same thing. Seen the snow and said NOPE!
I added/made 2 feeders for inside the coop, gave them extra greens on the cold days to pack away at, and put straw down. Once straw was down they came out and in turn them exploring melted/ moved the snow. So even just a couple handfuls of hay could get em out and and moving to then clear more.

IMO, if I had your current setup I would enclose the underside of the coop on 2 sides with a tarp/shadecloth/plastic/ or anything to just stop the snow. Then if it snows just drop a tiny bit of hay or chips or something down under their ramp amd they could come outside and at least go outside the coop out of the snow.

Excellent and easy suggestion.

 

[so lucky]

Just be sure when adding a gate to have it swing out, rather than in. A person could literally have no way into the chicken yard if the gate swings in and it snows more than a dusting. And in Missouri, we often get an inch or two of snow, then ice on top. Very hard to break through.
This is a good time to remind new chicken tenders that gates and latches freeze shut (or open) when you get a freezing rain or snow. My handle on the pulley for the chicken door freezes in place, so I have to carry out a jug of hot water when I go out first thing in the morning.

 

[cluckmecoop7]

Thank you for the suggestions everyone!
I tried shoveling a small part of the run near the door from the outside of the run. I put some greens and scratch at the bottom of the ramp, and managed to get Melody (a GLW) outside for a short time to eat some of the goodies. I got Kiwi (a BO) out of the ramp and also Dazzle (molting - a GLW) as well.
Not much success today, but I'll try again tomorrow. Oh, I do have one question though:

Will putting cardboard in the run over the snow work?

 

[21hens-incharge]

Thank you for the suggestions everyone!
I tried shoveling a small part of the run near the door from the outside of the run. I put some greens and scratch at the bottom of the ramp, and managed to get Melody (a GLW) outside for a short time to eat some of the goodies. I got Kiwi (a BO) out of the ramp and also Dazzle (molting - a GLW) as well.
Not much success today, but I'll try again tomorrow. Oh, I do have one question though:

Will putting cardboard in the run over the snow work?

I wouldn't. Cardboard is to slick under chicken feet.