Southern chickens chicken about snow

[Casey3043]

Last night we got three inches of snow, a rare occurrence in this part of the country. This morning, not one chicken would come out and step on the strange white stuff on the ground. They wouldn't even come out into their covered, attached runs, where there is NO snow on the ground, because they could SEE it from the pop door! It is hilarious to watch them!

Some of the younger group of hens made the dash from their run to the big girls' coop, but some of the others are still standing in the doorway, calling anxiously to their friends.

High today should be 42, so it will be gone soon, and we don't get snow but once every year or two---not often enough for them to get used to it. Meanwhile, they are prisoners of their fear!!

 

[DianeB]

I live in California. The last time it snowed here was maybe 10 or 15 years ago. We did have some frost in December. (Yes, it is that rare here.) They did not like it at all. I had to convience them to go outside. What babies!!

Cheer up!!! It is warm here on the West Coast. So, this warm air mass may be coming your way in about 5-6 days. Before you know it, Spring will be here.

 

[raimnel]

I live in Wisconsin, snows here in Late Nov. and most of the time it doesn't go away till March. (EEEWWW) This is the first winter we have chickens and it is the funniest thing ever. They stand on the ramp and look at the snow like "what gives". the first snow, one pushed past the rest standing there and found himself standing in the snow, he froze still for a second then beelined it back inside

We had to plow a path to the coop and now theres no snow there and that is where they "graze" for a while each day. But when there is a new snow they stand in the door like to say "awww man not again!"

 

[StupidBird]

Our hens saw snow for the first time and would have nothing to do with it; they also cowered in the farthest reaches away from the falling snow yesterday. Not any better today.

 

[Casey3043]

Yesterday afternoon when the snow began to fall, all the chickens went in and got on the roost, WAY before dark. When I went out to see what they were up to, they looked at me like, "We've got to go to bed. Don't you know the sky is falling?"

It's just about all melted now, but more is expected tomorrow night. We'll see if they are any braver then.

 

[Mahonri]

That's funny!

 

[lauralou]

My chickens are pitiful too. We've had several feet of snow this winter. After each storm, I've shoveled out areas in front of the coops so they could come out. Yesterday I decided it was never going to melt off, so I did some more shoveling. I made a path from the coop area out to the roost that sets pretty far back in one of the pens, and shoveled out a little area around it too.

Then later in the day I looked out my window and saw that some of the girls were sitting on that roost. One decided to fly back to the coop. No, not smart enough to use the path! She flew a short distance, came down on snow, jumped back into the air, flew a bit more, etc. It was hilarious! The snow is quite high, but compacted from freeze/thaw and pretty solid on top. They could walk on it if they wanted to. But they never do. It's terrifying to them...

 

[pardenx3]

LOL!! ours couldn't figure it out either!

 

[b.hromada]

Those silly southern chickens!!!

 

[cubalaya]

we have had snow on the ground so long here that they finally began walking on top of the deep snow. they do head for the roost early, though.