Do Chickens Like Snow?
December 17th, 2013 · 5 Comments · Posted in farming, Weather
After our experiences the last couple of days, I’d have to say the answer to the headline question is an emphatic NO! Chickens are no fans of snow.
The nor’easter that passed through here over the weekend left a beautiful blanket of six inches of the white stuff. When I opened the door to the mobile chicken coop, the hens just stared out in disbelief. They wouldn’t even venture out to feed.
Eventually I had to place the feeder inside the coop, which was only designed to be big enough for them to sleep in. They continued laying eggs as usual, but most would not budge past the door.
Then there was this one intrepid hen who was the true exception. Apparently she’s gotten into the habit of laying her eggs atop a stack of straw bales in the livestock shelter where the sheep and Jersey heifer hang out about 50 years from the coop. No amount of snow would stop her from her appointed mission: she was bound to get to her usual nest.
It was pretty hilarious and a little sad to watch her trudge through snow that was about as deep as her legs are long. The best she could do was kind of waddle and drag herself along, one slow step at a time. But she finally made it and accomplished her mission. The sheep had to check her out and make sure she was alright.
Then the hen turned and began her slow march across the paddock, back toward the coop. That’s where she crossed path’s with Emily, the heifer, who gave her a big lick on the behind as encouragement.
I finally took pity on the hen. I picked her up and carried her the rest of the way back to the coop.
Such a brave little hen.
My husband and I would be out there digging a path for her. That’s why we’d be no good at farming.
Mary, I’ve been thinking a snow blower wouldn’t be such a bad thing for getting around to my various stations on the farm–good for hens, too. Otherwise, we may need to research snow shoes for chickens.
What a wonderful story about a brave little hen!! Our chickens will only venture out in the snow if I lay out some “incentive” so I spread a bit of hay or straw on top of the snow, and then put their feeders and water out at the edge of it. They will forget about the snow, kind of, and they will mince out in it to eat.
Great tip, Amy. Thanks!
Food News Wednesday, December 18 - Food News Journal : Food News Journal // Dec 18, 2013 at 8:46 am
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