Snow and Chickens....

[CityBredCountry]

Obviously this is my first winter with chickens. As of last night it started snowing. I now have a couple of inches of snow. Right now my chickens are in a small coop til I can get them transferred to a larger one. They are free/open range and I always let them out daily to feed plus I given them a large scoop of a 14 grain feed twice per day.

Do I still let them run around in the snow? or just feed them extra and keep them cooped up? I planned on only keeping them in their coop when it is very cold, is that the right thing to do?

 

[Judy]

Let them choose. They may choose to stay in during a storm or heavy snow. They will GREATLY appreciate a snow free area outdoors, though. Most chickens don't much go for walking in snow, especiall heavy snow. Many people roof over theri run, or a part of it, and block off the snow on the windward side.

 

[aart]

Let them choose. They may choose to stay in during a storm or heavy snow. They will GREATLY appreciate a snow free area outdoors, though. Most chickens don't much go for walking in snow, especiall heavy snow. Many people roof over theri run, or a part of it, and block off the snow on the windward side.

Ditto^^^^

 

[CityBredCountry]

Thank you all for the advice! I surely let them make the choice. I had one fly into my arms to stay warm, lol.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Most chickens don’t like any change. Snow is a change. It’s really normal for chickens to avoid it like the plague when they wake up to it. I always open the pop door and let them decide what to do. Normally they stay inside a couple of days, but eventually some venture outside, especially if grass or weeds are poking through it and they can forage. I’ve had some do that in 9” of snow on about the third day of snow.

This photo was taken last spring. It snowed about an inch during the day when they were already out. They never bothered to go in.

I took this photo a few years back when it was 4 degrees above zero. You can see what they decided to do. As long as a cold wind is not blowing, mine choose to go outside regardless of temperature. They don’t like a cold wind at all. A warm breeze in summer is fine but not a cold wind.

You can handle it any way you wish. Different people do it different ways. But I always let mine decide what they want to do.

 

[Mrs. K]

If I know snow is coming, I make a pile of hay in my run, then after the snow, I just flip the hay on top of the snow, and mine come right out!