Official BYC Poll: Do you allow your chickens outside in the snow, or keep them indoors?

[pecky33]

Mostly I open the door and let them choose. With 3-5 feet on the ground they choose to stay in the coop. My Silkies like to eat it, but not step on it.

Yes my flock has a couple that will eat the snow ONLY from the comfort of the coop!

 

[Tude]

I am a new chicken owner in Idaho. My four girls are six months old right now and mainly live in their coop/run unless we are home, when we open the run and let them wander. Right now it's in the 20s and there is snow on the ground with more coming. I open the door to the run into our backyard and they come and go as they please. They don't love the snow, but will venture out of the run into the snow and check things out. It was funny watching them first discover snow, they kept trying to fly over it. What's also been interesting is how much they love to eat it!

 

[gimmie birdies]

Mine don't free range. Their run is partially covered, but snow still blows in in some areas. If it's not too bad, they'll come out and stay in the snow-free areas. If there's been a storm that has blown snow everywhere inside the run, they won't come out. In that case, I go and clear the snow, and spread a bag of dry leaves on the ground (I bag and save a lot of leaves in the fall, to use throughout the year in the run). They LOVE walking around and scratching through the nice, fluffy, dry leaves! They'd really rather be outside, so they appreciate the carpet of leaves and always come out onto it, no matter how cold it is otherwise.

Here they are today, in single digits Fahrenheit, enjoying the dry leaves and a nice treat of warm mash (their regular crumble mixed with hot water until it's clumpy in consistency).
View attachment 4033634

Pretty hens!

 

[Sic]

They come and go as they please, they prefer the great outdoors.

 

[pecky33]

It was funny watching them first discover snow, they kept trying to fly over it.

I used to have a hen that did this, too! I opened the coop door to a good 3 or 4 inches of snow and she was the only one that ventured out. She walked carefully through the snow until she was about 7 feet away. When she turned around, she was like, “how do I get back?!” and she flew all the way back to the coop!

 

[jandjmca]

I have neighbors. They love mulch, and so do my chickens, so I let them out a couple of hours before dark. So far this winter, no complaints?

 

[Debbie292d]

Why not let them out? Do you like to be cooped up all the time? Something to think about... Chickens know what they want and know what they don't want.

Snow has nothing to do with it, it's the temp. Freezing is 32F. Ours go out if it's 20F and above and no considerable wind chill. In eight years, no frost bite. Sometimes it's subzero here and when it is, we always hear of someone who lost a chicken(s).

 

[pecky33]

In eight years, no frost bite. Sometimes it's subzero here

How?!?! Do you have a special heater or vaseline to prevent frostbite? Regular practice? Pure luck?

My chickens have never had an ENTIRE comb of frostbite but with 14 degrees Fahrenheit (although they have a heater in the coop), the tips of their combs and wattles get frozen.

 

[Debbie292d]

How?!?! Do you have a special heater or vaseline to prevent frostbite? Regular practice? Pure luck?

My chickens have never had an ENTIRE comb of frostbite but with 14 degrees Fahrenheit (although they have a heater in the coop), the tips of their combs and wattles get frozen.

They are silkies for one thing, so don't have prominent combs. Never put anything on them though.

If they're getting it in the coop, it's the humidity causing it.

We use horse bedding pellets on the floor and in nest boxes, and a nipple waterer. We heat the coops to 40F. The humidity in the coop is usually around 45-50%, whilst outside, it's often around 70-80%.

 

[pecky33]

They are silkies for one thing, so don't have prominent combs. Never put anything on them though.

If they're getting it in the coop, it's the humidity causing it.

We use horse bedding pellets on the floor and in nest boxes, and a nipple waterer. We heat the coops to 40F. The humidity in the coop is usually around 45-50%, whilst outside, it's often around 70-80%.

Okay, cool! Thanks for the advice!