What's this white stuff?

[DaisyG2317]

Mine all dislike walking in the snow. But back when I had white leghorns, they seemed to love the snow. Here is my Daisy, whom I consider the greatest hen ever, enjoying some fresh snow at Christmas time while the others huddle inside. That snow wasn't slowing her down.

Bob,

That video just made my morning! I was having a very bad start and that cheered me up so much.

 

[N F C]

Winter is coming for us all!! ❄☃❄

It certainly is coming, like maybe in a couple of days here!

(We already had 1 snow about a month ago, now we're going to get into the stuff that hangs around a while.)

 

[Lothar1974]

The baby's were ok this morning. My daughter was concerned so she got up at sunrise to check on them. The older girls came out and walked on the snow and went right back in . The baby's actually came out all the way to the house, assuming they haven't associated the coop as home yet.

 

[BY Bob]

I really don’t get much snow. Heat is much more of a problem, however it does get extremely cold so I thought at the very least, I could wrap the run in plastic to gain 5-10 degrees of warmth too. I’m sure the girls would appreciate it! My biggest problem is heat so I’m really hoping the covered run will help keep the coop cooler, and of course offer more shade for the girls. I free range them currently and they spend from 11am to 5 PM in the summer completely hiding in the woods to escape the heat. You wouldn’t even know I had chickens!

So I take it the lake effect snow that can pummel Somerset doesn't reach you much. You would be much colder than me in general but we get the big coastal blizzards that are a serious issue. That's why my coop is so much bigger than it technically needs to be. I once had to bring my flock inside the house as their coop was completely buried by a snow drift 4 feet high. They would have suffocated otherwise.

Of course I also built the big cover run for those winters where we have snow on the ground for 2 straight months. Last winter we only had 2 days of snow but you have to be prepared for the extremes.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

So I take it the lake effect snow that can pummel Somerset doesn't reach you much. You would be much colder than me in general but we get the big coastal blizzards that are a serious issue. That's why my coop is so much bigger than it technically needs to be. I once had to bring my flock inside the house as their coop was completely buried by a snow drift 4 feet high. They would have suffocated otherwise.

Of course I also built the big cover run for those winters where we have snow on the ground for 2 straight months. Last winter we only had 2 days of snow but you have to be prepared for the extremes.

Last winter we only had 2 days of snow, too. I live between Washington, PA and Morgantown, WV. There were times one area would have 6" to a foot of snow, and the other area would see no snow. I've only spent one winter in my current home, so I have no idea what to expect this coming winter! I believe that we do not see much lake effect weather though.

 

[ILoveDaffy]

Bob,

That video just made my morning! I was having a very bad start and that cheered me up so much.

I absolutely LOVE this, her attitude, and the song make it perfect!

 

[Lothar1974]

This past weekend I built this over my raised garden so they have an extra area out of the snow and wind. Put a bunch of grass and mulch in there for them to play in. Tomorrow when it's a little warmer I am putting up a swing in their main run.

Here's my insulation job a few weeks ago.

Miss Etta on the roost in the coop.

 

[BY Bob]

So I take it the lake effect snow that can pummel Somerset doesn't reach you much. You would be much colder than me in general but we get the big coastal blizzards that are a serious issue. That's why my coop is so much bigger than it technically needs to be. I once had to bring my flock inside the house as their coop was completely buried by a snow drift 4 feet high. They would have suffocated otherwise.

Of course I also built the big cover run for those winters where we have snow on the ground for 2 straight months. Last winter we only had 2 days of snow but you have to be prepared for the extremes.

Adding photos of 2016 blizzard

The only reason I am going out in the storm is that there was a song bird stuck in the big run and I did not want it to die. I have no idea how it got in there. This was 1/2 way through the storm. It would snow at least another 12 hours.

The view of the coop and run from the fence line when I entered the backyard. That circle into the foreground is the pool heater. It stands about 4 feet tall.

The coop up close. By the next morning it would be gone.

 

[BY Bob]

Bob,

That video just made my morning! I was having a very bad start and that cheered me up so much.

I am so glad. How can you not be happy when you see a chicken walking in the snow. The music was actually playing on my phone as I took the video. Total accident but it is great.

 

[BY Bob]

Last winter we only had 2 days of snow, too. I live between Washington, PA and Morgantown, WV. There were times one area would have 6" to a foot of snow, and the other area would see no snow. I've only spent one winter in my current home, so I have no idea what to expect this coming winter! I believe that we do not see much lake effect weather though.

You might be surprised. I have gotten caught in lake effect bands in Morgantown before. Its all about the direct path of the wind and then can be very narrow. Fingers crossed you avoid the big dumps.