Snow rescues today! Anyone else?

[texasbartrambaby]

I guess mine are the oddballs - they love the snow! Even had a hen dust bathing in it yesterday .... until she realized she was wet!

 

[chickenannie]

I loved the snow stories everyone!

Brody, you sound like you had it the worst. Or no, perhaps that was allquacked up -- poor thing, sounds like a nightmare trying to keep the runs from collapsing. I had plans to go away and be snowed in with friends Friday night but ended up having to stay home cuz no one was available to take care of my chickens. My gosh, I'm losing my social life for these birds!

I have tunneled out pathways for myself and also for the birds

but I left a chunk of the snow in place so they wouldn't tunnel right on over to my porch! With so little places for them to hang out during the day, I have to keep them fooled into thinking there's deep snow all around my front door. Otherwise they'll make an encampment on my porch for sure. Funny how snow changes everything. Honestly, I CANT WAIT till it melts. I am not happy during February and the snowstorm did NOT help convince me that Spring was on its way. Winter blahs, snow blahs!! Come out yellow sun, and melt all this away!

 

[mstricer]

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Same her...theylove to go out in the covered run and will step down the straw-covered ramp but no way will they walk in the snow.....

I thought they'd change their mind after a while but so far it has not happened....

Mine like it too they just dont like the wind. I got lucky the way the wind was blowing and with the help from a bale of straw the snow drifted in the right direction just to be able to open man door. They didnt come out yesterday, just opened door and all ran out in sun. Short lived though next storm on the way with another 6 to 10 inches. YEAH gota love mother nature.

 

[NarleevilleClucks]

I think my girls have given up on ever leaving their coop again. We dug a path to the coop first thing yesterday a.m....they are all fine even with the 30 inches we got yesterday. They are very strong birds apparently because I could never handle sleeping outside in all this! I've been feeding them more treats than usual to keep their strength up. None of us can wait until spring!

 

[chickenannie]

How's everyone on the East Coast doing today with their chooks and the second BIG SNOW of the week?

I just had to rescue my top hen. I looked out the door into the swirling blizzard and I saw the top of a chicken over by the barns trying to fly out of piles of snow!! If any of you are in the northeast U.S. you know what kind of snowstorm we're getting right now! I put my boots on and ran out through thigh-high drifts. She was clucking pathetically -- sounded like crying -- begging me to rescue her.

She had left a path through very deep snow so I could tell where she had dragged herself through drifts and gotten trapped. She was hiding in the back of a little doghouse that she had plowed through the snow to get to. There was a rounded tunnel there, like she had to push through the snow with her whole body to get in. Poor thing. I couldn't coax her out so I had to reach way back in there, on my knees in 2 feet of snow, and get her out. She's already back to being bossy in the nice dry barn. I'm so glad I found her. I'm not sure if she would've made it if I hadn't found her. I'm hoping none of the others make that attempt.

It's really a snow-mess here! And still coming down like the dickens, and supposedly for another 10 hours. I'm going to have to chisel a path through 5 foot drifts just to get them in their coop for the night. I guess I could let them sleep in the barn, but with my luck there's a hungry fox living in the haymow upstairs too.

 

[bigoakhunter]

Mine go out in the covered run...even with snow....as they only get there treats in the run...call it conditioning!

 

[chickenannie]

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You have brave chooks!

 

[Bullwinkle]

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That is my experience also. It does not seem to make a difference how snowy or windy it is.... as soon as I open the Goose coop, my Geese and ducks run out in the mornings. My chickens on the other hand do not like wind or snow. It took several weeks before my chickens would even walk on the snow! Most just stay in the coop . The Geese and ducks not only run out into the cold... they immediately head for their pool (which i have to break the ice that forms on it) and jump into the ice/water mixture. Brrrrrrrrrrrrr They put polar bears to shame!

 

[chickenannie]

Seriously, I think geese and ducks are the happiest year-round birds. But how do their little paddling feet stay warm when they're swimming in sub-freezing temps? Have you ever seen them act like they have cold feet?

As for my chooks, I didn't even let them out of the coop today (first time in 3 years!). I fed/watered them. Hopeing they don't kill each other in there.

 

[Countrywife]

Oh my goodness, poor little birds. I feel awful for them. My chickens won't come out if it even rains a little. Apparently, they would never be northern chickens.

I am from Maryland, transplanted to NC, we are sunny and rather nice. My family in Maryland is not taking any more of my phone calls this week- I don't have any idea why.