Official BYC Poll: Do you allow your chickens outside in the snow, or keep them indoors?

Do you allow your chickens outside in the snow, or keep them indoors?

  • Always let them outside, no matter the snow depth

    Votes: 24 16.3%
  • Let them out unless the snow is too deep

    Votes: 21 14.3%
  • Only let them out when it’s sunny

    Votes: 11 7.5%
  • Only let them out if the snow has been cleared

    Votes: 13 8.8%
  • Let them out but provide a sheltered area in the run

    Votes: 33 22.4%
  • Let them decide—they can come and go as they please

    Votes: 100 68.0%
  • Keep them indoors during heavy snowstorms

    Votes: 19 12.9%
  • Keep them indoors all winter to avoid the cold

    Votes: 4 2.7%
  • Let them out with boots or other protective gear (yes, it’s a thing!)

    Votes: 1 0.7%
  • Haven’t dealt with snow yet—still figuring out my plan

    Votes: 3 2.0%
  • Other (Please share in the comments below)

    Votes: 9 6.1%

  • Total voters
    147
Pics
All my hens hate snow. When we have bad winter spells (not often) I clear a bit of ground and force ‘em to come out for twenty minutes while I do chores. Other than that, they stay inside.
 
We have snow November to end of March so my girls definitely go outside, that’s way too long to be cooped up! The back half of the run is wrapped in plastic so protected from the wind and roof covered in hardware cloth, keeps a lot of snow out. I scatter hay for them after each snowfall and it doesn’t build up much in the sheltered back half. Even my marans go outside in it and don’t mind it. I do check their feet to make sure snow is shaking off before night. They have flat 2X4 roosts to keep feet warm after.

I do keep them indoors when it’s below -40 and windy. They do not enjoy those temps or the wind!
 
It takes them a while to go outside their run... but once they are out...
 

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