They will not go out!

[goldeneggtees]

Check them out! They refuse to go out into the mega amounts of snow we got overnight. I shoveled them an area to walk out onto, put down scratch, spread hay and still nothing. Oh well, looks like a boring day inside the coop for the ladies!

 

[mendygnl]

Mine don't want to go out, either. They will peck the fuffy snow to sample it, but don;t want to walk in it.

 

[Imp]

Last year mine would not leave the coop anytime there was snow on the ground. That was most of the winter. I ended up shoveling paths, down to the grass, around the yard.

Imp- Glad we rarely get snowy winters. Yeah for damp, dank, dark winters.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Mine were in the coop for 3 days before they finally came out for scratch. (but only because they could get under the coop where there was no snow)

I gave mine bread, scratch and carrot tops in the coop to keep them busy those 3 days.

 

[goldeneggtees]

The sad part is, I broke my back shoveling a large area in the run and a pathway but still they refuse to come out and I'd rather not leave the door open letting in the cold if they refuse to go out anyway!
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[nursecat9]

3 of my ba's decided to find out what all that white stuff was. They wouldn't go out at all yest. but while shoveling more snow..

we looked down in the run, and 3 ba's had waded in. All I could see was their head and their tail...they had sunk all the way down! For a small second I thought the one was stuck, but she was quite content laying in her white "blanket"! Too funny!

My bantam cochins wont come out yet either...then again, I wouldn't be able to see them if they did....20 inches at my house!

 

[gsim]

1st snow mine ever saw was about 2 " around 8 days ago or so. They all stampeded out the two pop doors when I raised them at 7:30 AM or so. Scratching around in it and running their beaks thru it. My 24 never read "GUIDE TO RAISING POULTRY" so they do not know that they are supposed to slow down egg production and stay in when it snows.

They are about 6 1/2 mo old and are winter-hardy breeds of layers ( which was how I selected the four breeds I have). 16-18 eggs daily, praise be to God.

 

[dragonlair]

My last flock would wander around in the snow if I shovelled for them. The 6 I have now won't even walk on it. I moved them from one coop to inside the barn, since the weather was getting very cold and the goat barn/dog kennel is much warmer. I evicted them form their old home, into the snow. They just huddled together, not moving an inch! There they stood on about 6 inches of snow waiting for me to rescue them! Silly birds.

 

[rcentner]

We don't have much snow now, but we did, and I shoveled the ramp and the run and layed down some hay to make it look less snowy and they did come out. But not right away, I also have a coop that they can hide under and have made that area wind blocked for them. So they go out and if they really don't like it they can hide under the coop where I have a nice cozy spot for them. Basically my square coop, built about 2 feet off the ground, cover the ground with straw/hay and block 3 sides from the wind. They love it, they can not poop up the coop and get some fresh air. I used whole straw bales to close off 2 sides and some plastic wrap stuff (from TSC) for the other side (already had it on hand). Plus, the straw gives them something to scratch in and I got some nice stuff that still has grains in it.

 

[chickensRheaven]

My chickens aren't into going out either. Just for the last two days a few venture out for a few minutes at a time. It's kinda cute...they're all unsure and scared...and flapping around half bouncing half flying...