Snow & chucks

[Gorsty]

Hi Folks

Are they OK to go out roaming in the snow for hours on end or should I be restricting their freedom? MOH is Worried they might get frost bite in their toes!!!!!

[Nicos]

Mine won't walk in the snow unless they absolutely have to!!!( they're getting brill at low level flying!!!)

[timmyalex]

Mine HATE the snow. They refuse to leave the pen and "Harry" the cockrel was so spooked when i was cleaning the snow off the pen roof he jumped out of the door and fell into a drift, sat there stock still for 5 mins and then flew up onto the top of the pen. He stayed there all day until time for bed and he'd gathered up enough courage to go home.!! The girls never left despite the pen door being open all day.

[Gorsty]

My lot were a bit scared of the snow when it is first appeared and took a few minutes to pluck up courage to go through the pen door but now there's no holding them back

Have opened the conservatory for them so that when they've had enough they can come in and warm up a bit. They also have access to their own house

MOH thinks they would be better off in their run which has a roof on it so no snow but, it's not very big and the outisde run is full of frozen poo so I don't like the thought of them being in there for any length of time.

What do you think?

[winstonwobble]

Mine are out free ranging as normal not botherd by the snow at all i'm just feeding them more at the mo plus they get warm porridge in the mornings dont seam to be getting frostbitten legs dosent stop them trying to come into the kitchen for a warm though!!

[RichmondHens]

If they want to roam then let them. Go with what the chooks want to do. If they are in a pen you could put a branch in for them to perch on, so they don't have to sit in the snow. Different chickens do different things. I am struggling to get some of my youngsters to move in the snow, but my older birds are fine with it. It's good if they want to be out and about as they will be feeding more. If they sit inside for long periods they don't eat or drink as much and then will lose condition. If you have a chicken that won't go outside then you need to throw it out for a bit so it moves about and goes for a feed/drink - some of my cream legbars are being particularly awkward about this at the moment and would rather sit on my arm than get into the snow!

[Daz]

We have straw down to keep them out of the snow if they don't want to play in it, as previously mentioned warm porridge in the morning and a extra corn in the afternoon with as much layers as they want.
The bit that I get nervous about is at night with how cold it gets but we have lots of straw in the shed, they seem happy enough but you still worry as you get attached to them.

[Gorsty]

Thank you - will let them out again tomorrow. Felt like a Prison Warden today!

Mind you MOH must have felt guilty too - he's been shopping & the fridge is full of cobs of sweetcorn - am sure it's not all for us!