SNOW - refusing to come out for food and water?

[NellaBean]

Mine spend all bad weather days in the front open part of the garage. That is where I keep the food as well. Water bowls are out in front of the garage. I go out and open up the coop.....they can stay inside and starve and be thirsty or they can come out and get a snack and a drink. They ALWAYS eventually come out. See the coop on the left? I have a little hole in the lattice so they can have a shortcut to the garage.

 

[UrbanGrower]

At first mine didn't want to come out laying down some straw or shavings usually worked for me. Now they are more adventurous.

 

[TheNewMrsEvans]

Ours eat the snow! You can watch them moving in an arch away from the pop door, and everywhere they have been is pecked clean! They won't come out if it snowing though

 

[ryanhodapp]

Hurray it was 50 degrees yesterday and 60 today. All that bad snow is gone. My girls were out of the coop. Thank goodness, I could clean.

I loved reading this post. cracked me up.

 

[TheSawyerFlock]

We live in western NY, so we always get snow but my hens are only a few months old, and this is their first experience with snow too. It took them some time to venture out once the ground was completely covered, but after a while they got the idea that to get water and some freedom they would have to be brave.

Now, in fact just this morning, they wander about on the top of the snow banks, eating some of it and occasionally dropping through the top layer. Most of the time though, their little chicken feet act like snowshoes. They can do it, just give them some time.

 

[Alaska Juju]

These are very funny postings to read through! Here in Alaska, our chickens' yard has snow in it at least six months out of the year, so they MUST get out and walk around in it. The first few days of snow every fall, they mumble and grumble and complain mightily and won't come out, but then they eventually resign themselves to their fate and venture out in it quite happily! They love eating it, and I keep little snow sidewalks shoveled for them so they can get out of the coop and get some exercise....not sure if chickens really NEED exercise, but I like to think they do! They seem to love these little pathways.