Southern Chickens

[alabiologist]

We received about 4" of snow yesterday which is very rare for Alabama, especially on Christmas. We only let our chickens free-range when we are around to keep an eye on them due to predators. Usually they are begging to get out of the run to free-range, but when I opened the run this morning, no one would go out in the snow. We finally cleared an area around the run and they got out into that, but would not touch the snow. It was pretty funny to watch.

 

[woodmort]

They do the same thing in the north--it just starts earlier in the season and lasts longer.

 

[dawg53]

We had snow flurries for about 30 minutes this morning and my chickens hid behind two large trash cans up against the house.

 

[mulewagon]

Here's my Alabama chickens, looking around at the Christmas snow - I feed them outside, so they have to go out...there's chicken tracks all over the pen, where they've been exploring and digging!

 

[NonnasBabies]

I live in Louisiana and when it snowed last year the were having a blast in it!!

 

[Jx2inNC]

When the snow falls and the waterers freeze...can anyone verify that chickens will peck/eat snow for water?

 

[7L Farm]

Quote:
They eat everything else.

 

[centrarchid]

Quote:
I can verifiy they will consume snow and ice. Drinkable water requirment appears reduced during cold times as well. Birds in general very good at scavenging water from fecal waste and considerable amounts of water is produced as waste associated with metabolism of food. When cold they may also be able to tightly control loss of water through respiratory tract.

Some of my birds on walks appear to go for days or even weeks without access to liquid water without apparent stress. Same birds will not pass up liquid water if they find it.

 

[woodmort]

When I go into the coop to do chores with snow on my boots they gobble it up--kind of a pita to have a flock of birds hovering around your feet pecking at them. However, when they go outside they seem to ignore it. I suppose if they didn't have anything else, they could survive on snow.

 

[OkChickens]

I can't wait until my see snow! I want to see what they do!

-Nate