Official BYC Poll: What’s the most challenging part of chicken keeping for you during winter?

[DonyaQuick]

Comb frostbite is always the biggest one for me, specifically with temperatures below -10F paired with humidity of about 98%. On those max humidity days, my nostrils start filling with ice as soon as I step outside. That's in the best ventillated environment (the outdoors) and in still air. For my flocks, a lot has ended up being down to the invidiaul bird and whether they are able to keep good circulation and therefore warmth in their comb, so thick combs do better than thin, etc. Birds that get purple tips in milder chilly weather are more likely to get toasted tips if they can't get the comb far enough into their feathers.

Sometimes water is another big one for me. I haven't had to worry about it for a while, but I was recently reminded of it because I had to take up a couple extension cords to let vehicles through the area for a few days in nasty temps. So much hauling water...since if you want it to stay thawed it has to be a pretty decent volume, and just breaking the ice on top only keeps the liquid accessible for a quick sip - it hardens up again quite fast if the water isn't warmer. I've got my heated bases plugged in again today and very much appreciate them.

 

[Hinotori]

Keeping the mud balls off their toes. It's a never ending story here. If the silkies can find dirt, they will get muddy.

 

[gtaus]

I must admit, on especially frigid days I skip the trek.

That's my "Other" challenge in the survey. I wonder why I have a backyard flock when the temps get down to -30F or even -40F in the dead of winter. Having said that, it's those extremely cold periods where I know it's all the more important to check on the girls.

So the biggest hurdle for me is to muster up the willingness to actually go out there in person I have a large heated waterer that holds about a week's worth of water,

Keeping water from freezing is challenging.
This year I have finally purchased enough heated water dishes.

For anyone in the freezing north, I would highly recommend getting the metal poultry water fount and the metal heater base combo to keep water from freezing...

I keep my heated water combo inside the chicken coop, out of the blast of cold air outside. I believe that makes a big difference in performance. For example, the metal heater says it will keep water from freezing down to about +10F. I suspect that might be if left outside in the cold wind. Inside my unheated chicken coop, the water stays unfrozen down to -40F, considerably better than the advertised specs.

 

[gtaus]

My girls stay in the coop if so much as one snowflake falls. Then they refuse to come out for days. Their food and water are in the coop, heated water buckets and enough food to last for a week. But I feel bad that they don't come out and I envision them picking on each other out of boredom. Tomorrow, I'm going to put straw out in the run to cover the snow. Hopefully they will come out then

I live in northern Minnesota, and my chickens basically lived in the coop all winter long. They won't go out on the snow. This year I got a little bit smarter. I moved a pallet wood stackable compost bin next to my chicken run gate and filled it with leaves from the yard...

I cut open a feed bag and used it to cover the leaves and then I put on my top...

After a snowfall, I'll toss some leaves into the run, enough to cover the snow on top. It does not take a lot of leaves just to cover the top. Now my chickens will go outside in the winter.

Here is a picture of my chickens outside a few weeks ago, even after some light snow from the previous night. As long as the chicken run is not completely white, they will go outside. Of course, I toss some chicken scratch and/or cracked corn to encourage them to get some fresh air...

Like you, I keep both my food and water inside my coop. So, the chickens can get everything they need without going outside. But I do think the advantage of putting down the leaves on the snow and having them go outside in the dead of winter is good for their mental health and reduces social problems inside the coop.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Other: Preventing legs from becoming frostbitten

 

[gtaus]

I gave my girls (and boy) chopped kale and spring greens yesterday as they have not had any "grass" for over a week now. I found it helps a little with egg production and they really like it.

I grow barley fodder every winter in the snow months. It is the only greens that my chickens get for about 6 months out of the year. They love it. Plus, my egg yolks are a much darker orange color than if they only had commercial feed for the winter....

Other: Preventing legs from becoming frostbitten

I think if you use a 2X4 laid flat as a roosting bar, the chickens can tuck their legs and feet up into their feathers and keep their legs warm and free of frostbite. I have not had any problems with frostbite legs or feet in the 4 winters I have had backyard flocks. And we get temps as low as -30F to -40F in the dead of every winter for about a week or so.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I grow barley fodder every winter in the snow months. It is the only greens that my chickens get for about 6 months out of the year. They love it. Plus, my egg yolks are a much darker orange color than if they only had commercial feed for the winter....

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I think if you use a 2X4 laid flat as a roosting bar, the chickens can tuck their legs and feet up into their feathers and keep their legs warm and free of frostbite. I have not had any problems with frostbite legs or feet in the 4 winters I have had backyard flocks. And we get temps as low as -30F to -40F in the dead of every winter for about a week or so.

They have that option, and we have similar temperatures in winter.

 

[tripletfeb]

Our snow wasn't quite that much and was mostly gone until night before last. We got a dusting, not enough to completely cover the grass, but even the four-month-olds came out so I didn't bother with paths for them this time. I won't post pictures of chickens in snow as I have several.

It's just odd yours don't venture out a little. We don't even throw the scratch to get them out, but maybe that or some mealworms might "break the ice"?

Oh, I've offered meal worms, and some treat blocks. No dice

I've heard about snow blindness in chickens— something like, if the ground is covered in snow, the world may as well not exist. I wonder, if you gradually work on coaxing them out, if maybe they'll realize that there is ground to step on and get over it. And then teach future chicks the same thing!

See above

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Cold is actually painful to me. So my biggest problem, or challenge, in winter, is motivating myself to go out and do my chicken chores, which I normally enjoy. I just have to dress warmly and bite the bullet, so to speak, take my courage in hand and go out there and do it. I try to pick the warmest time of day to go out and throw a little scratch, clean the poop trays and gather eggs. DH takes care of the early morning chores (thank you, dearest!) - opening the coop, topping off waterers, setting out feeders, as well as the nighttime ones - turning off supplemental light, locking up the coop, putting the feeders away. Need I say it? He is my hero!

 

[gtaus]

I've heard about snow blindness in chickens— something like, if the ground is covered in snow, the world may as well not exist. I wonder, if you gradually work on coaxing them out, if maybe they'll realize that there is ground to step on and get over it.

I have not heard of snow blindness, but that's a good one. I suspect it has more to do with chickens have sensitive feet and walking on freezing cold snow might be uncomfortable, or even harmful for them. They just want to protect their feet.

In any case, I have learned that if I toss just a thin covering of leaves on top of the snow, the chickens will go outside into the chicken run. They don't stay outside all day in the winter, but they come outside and go back into the coop all day long. In comparison, in the non-snow months, they usually stay outside from morning till time to roost - except for laying an egg inside the coop, of course.