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

[Evadig]

All my hens hate snow. When we have bad winter spells (not often) I clear a bit of ground and force ‘em to come out for twenty minutes while I do chores. Other than that, they stay inside.

 

[Ilovechickens2525]

We have snow November to end of March so my girls definitely go outside, that’s way too long to be cooped up! The back half of the run is wrapped in plastic so protected from the wind and roof covered in hardware cloth, keeps a lot of snow out. I scatter hay for them after each snowfall and it doesn’t build up much in the sheltered back half. Even my marans go outside in it and don’t mind it. I do check their feet to make sure snow is shaking off before night. They have flat 2X4 roosts to keep feet warm after.

I do keep them indoors when it’s below -40 and windy. They do not enjoy those temps or the wind!

 

[Just2chickens]

It takes them a while to go outside their run... but once they are out...

 

[R2elk]

 

[Loveshorsesandglee]

I open the door so they can go out if they want to it depends on how much snow we have if it’s really deep they usually stay in or come out for a few minutes then go back inside. The ducks love the snow they will come out no matter how much there is.

 

[jandjmca]

Outside every day, as their food and water are outdoors, I will clear a path for them through the snow

 

[MapleLaurelFarms]

All my hens hate snow. When we have bad winter spells (not often) I clear a bit of ground and force ‘em to come out for twenty minutes while I do chores. Other than that, they stay inside.

Same here. I have to clear the ground before they'll attempt it, and then they only stick to the cleared paths. And even then, they're not too crazy about it.