My chickens won't go out in the snow

[Q9]

Quote:
We're in Eastern PA - our RIR's don't like the snow either. Not sure if its a PA thing or a RIR thing...

I think it's an RIR thing. We barely had a dusting, and ours REFUSED to come out. First few snowflakes = total evacuation of the run.

 

[DPC poultry]

mine dont they stay on the covered half of the cage where the bare ground is

 

[Utah rockwood]

Quote:
I do the same thing.
If I clear an area in the run, they'll come out.
In winter I move the coop (with tractor) to an area exposed to full sun, and if I keep the snow cleared away from the south side of the coop, the ground can dry enough that the chickens will have a dirt bath. In summer I move the coop back near the trees for shade in the hot afternoons.

 

[Aria]

Our run is mostly covered. No snow gets in. Sunshine if there is any and light. We have pebbles in the run and have a sand box for them ...if they want to dust themselves. We have an automatic door that closes at dark and at that time the Chickens are in the Coop.

During the day they go in an out of the run to the coop. That gives them exercise and keeps the snow and MONSTERS out. We want them protected. We lost our Call Duck Flock. Now the safety measures are in place. Just a small area of the runs are not covered with tarp.

 

[rungirl]

Mine don't like the snow either... There was a 4 chicken pile up on the exit ramp the other day when it snowed.

 

[Q9]

Quote:

I needed that laugh.

 

[77horses]

Haha, I have a rooster and three pullets, and we got over an inch here last night. In the morning, when they all saw the mysterious white stuff on the ground, they were hesitant, but eventually they all came out of the coop and started eating the snow and, well, hiding under the coop, where there was still dirt on the ground.

That is...all of them came outside but the youngest pullet, Jasmine.

She stayed in the coop all day and didn't dare come out, and when I brought her out myself and placed her on the ground, she just stood there and stared unblinkingly and frighteningly at the snow beneath her feet. She acted like she believed that if she moved, the snow would eat her or something.

 

[pusskatkins]

All of my chickens, including the Rhode Island Red's will venture out into the snow, but my darn Black Copper's won't! They are such chickens! LOL!

 

[Bammy]

I have a salvaged truck cap sitting in my fenced run just 7 feet from their coup door. I toss treats under it for the hens. They will not walk in the snow out to the cap, they fly from the chicken door! It is the funniest thing ever.

 

[Mak]

Mine haven't ventured farther than the ramp so far, either. I'm going to go out later and see if I can clear an area a bit for them. They don't seem to mind the cold, but the snow has them baffled.