They won't come out!

[Erin80]

I have 9 chickens, all female....and nobody will leave the coop. They free ranged all summer/fall right up until it snowed....and now no one will set foot in the snow. Today is pretty mild compared to what it has been, and the next few days are supposed to be gorgeous temperatures here in Ontario....but we have A LOT of snow. Even with the mild temperatures they refuse to walk in the snow (and we have made them a path). I feel bad that they're cooping themselves up in there! Anyone else have chickens who won't go out?

 

[PirateGirl]

Snow is scary! Mine always look out their window at it. The bravest will come out first and get food, once the others see her eating they usually follow. Mine only get food and water outdoors, so if they are hungry, they have to be brave. There's definitely moments when they all stand on the ramp and won't touch the ground though! Bribe them. That's all I've got.

 

[i like emus]

Mine haven't come out since a fox killed ten of them other than that there probably afraid of snow

 

[ShrekDawg]

Mine come out but usually huddle under the coop. Although some days they stay inside. We've had artic/frigid temperatures for 2 weeks and today it's just finally warming up so I don't blame them for not wanting to come out lol

Anyway, the other day they were all inside and I managed to get them out with some bread, corn, and BOSS, but I had one chicken that refused to come out. She kept looking out, even leaning almost all the way out the door, like she really wanted to, then would turn back in. Then do it again. Over and over. She was even blocking 2 others in, who did eventually get out. Second day she was doing the same, even when I offered more bread. Which is weird because they all LOVE bread and she, especially, is an Orpington and loves food. Well, it was getting kind of sad seeing her coop herself up for 2 days in a row so that second day I went and carried her out of the coop lol after that she stayed out.

I'm not sure if she just didn't like the snow (but this has never happened before) or if the other chickens are bullying her or what. I do have one mean Australorp.

But whatever it is, I eventually got her out.

And the other chickens were easy to bribe out with food. The Orpington took me forcing her out lol

Now today it's warmer so they're all out

 

[sourland]

Chickens hate change, and 'first timers' especially hate snow. Shoveling a bare spot and spreading straw or hay can sometimes entice them to come out and play.

 

[PirateGirl]

mine also like having things to hop on, a tree branch, a stump, a lawn chair, anything that isn't the snowy ground, kinda like the hot lava game we played as kids, touching everything but the ground

 

[Mrs. K]

If you can, I make mini haystacks ahead of a snow storm, then after it stops, I use a pitchfork, and flip the hay on top of the snow, mine will come right out. It is not the cold snow that bothers them, it is that weird color of white.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Chickens hate change, it scares them. Going to bed with a brown world and waking up to a pure white world is quite a change. When that happens to mine they tend to not go out for a couple of days. But normally after a day or two some will go out in it.

I normally don't get a lot of snow, there is usually some grass and weeds sticking up put of it so they have something to forage on, that gives then a reason to go out. I think that makes a difference too. As someone mentioned, if the only way they can get something to eat is to go out in it, they generally will but probably won't like it.

The day I took this photo the snow (about 1") fell during the day when they were already out. Since it was a gradual change they never bothered to go in. That's a big part of why I don't think it is the snow that bothers them as much as the change.

Depending on your circumstances you may be able to shovel the run or maybe spread something on top of the snow to give them something to walk on, which might or might not be strange to them itself. But in general I just leave the pop door open and let them decide what they want to do.