Any advice please on caring for hens in winter when working full time?

[PeacefulPlace]

Be careful. We have a layer of snow. Its supposed to get up to 40 degrees F. this weekend. I imagine rain will be involve but maybe they will come out. I have a covered run area that is thickly padded with hay. They usually come out to explore but way too cold for most of them. Your chickens sound great. I''m a nurse...did I see you say you were a teacher?

 

[PaulaMc]

Be careful. We have a layer of snow. Its supposed to get up to 40 degrees F. this weekend. I imagine rain will be involve but maybe they will come out. I have a covered run area that is thickly padded with hay. They usually come out to explore but way too cold for most of them. Your chickens sound great. I''m a nurse...did I see you say you were a teacher?

Ha ha I will. Treading very gingerly. My back is not too good at the moment and I think it's due to the falls. At nearly 54 I am not as supple as I once was ha ha.

Temperatures are quite mild here at the moment after a cold snap. Around 11 degrees. Going to make the most of no rain today to have a clear out and freshen everything up. My garden is like a shanty town with all the tarpaulin. Am trying to keep away as many wild birds as I can but it's difficult -they are used to me feeding them. It's noon at the minute and so only about 3.5 hours of light left so need to get a move on. Daunting but it's lovely when it's all fresh and clean.

You must be a very special person to be a nurse- a very difficult but rewarding vocation I imagine. Yes, I am an English teacher for 11-16 year olds. However, am off work with depression at the moment. Am not as bad as I was thank goodness and planning a phased return after Christmas. Will be glad to get some routine back ha ha.

 

[PeacefulPlace]

It's tough in winter for me too. My chickens make me feel peaceful inside. They were a blessing last winter. I had them in the house until mid April when I assembled my first coop. It was nice to handle them every day and develop a relationship with them. In August a friend helped me build a large coop with a covered run. It snowed about 8 inches here last night so I'm going out to shovel a bit this morning and raise the lid to let them roam if they wish. It's just over freezing so I hope they'll come out a bit. We haven't had any cases of the Avian virus locally. I suppose with migration it could show up. I sure hope not. Well I better get busy. Have a lovely evening. Very nice talking to you.

Denise

 

[PaulaMc]

It's tough in winter for me too. My chickens make me feel peaceful inside. They were a blessing last winter. I had them in the house until mid April when I assembled my first coop. It was nice to handle them every day and develop a relationship with them. In August a friend helped me build a large coop with a covered run. It snowed about 8 inches here last night so I'm going out to shovel a bit this morning and raise the lid to let them roam if they wish. It's just over freezing so I hope they'll come out a bit. We haven't had any cases of the Avian virus locally. I suppose with migration it could show up. I sure hope not. Well I better get busy. Have a lovely evening. Very nice talking to you.

Denise

Hiya sweetie.
I know what you mean about them making you feel peaceful. When you had them in the house did you just keep them in one room or let them roam? Am thinking of bringing silkies into kitchen and putting hybrids in the shed tomorrow as avian flu has hit UK.


Take care shovelling snow love- don't fall like me ha ha.

Lovely speaking to you Denise x

 

[PeacefulPlace]

I kept them in a spare room. I covered the floors with old blankets and they were just pullets then. It was kind of a mess to clean up after they went to their coop. But it was great for bonding and getting them used to me. I work nights here. The gentleman at the grocery here gave me a big bag of greens to share with them. They were very excited about that. I'm not sure what time it is there but it's 5:30 pm here. I hope you have a great day. Denise

 

[Beekissed]

When I was working full time I did exactly what I do now....feed once a day in the morning in the winter months, let them free range at will and leave the pop door open at all times(I had and still have 2 chicken dogs on guard), any birds that feel broody get their own pen until they get over it...I wouldn't be moving them back and forth, it just creates work for you and doesn't serve any purpose, provide heated watering in the form of a heated dog bowl elevated on something to keep it out of the bedding, use deep litter so I'm not having to clean out a coop all winter long and gather eggs each evening. Each morning it's just a matter of a few minutes to get all morning chores done in the coop....throw feed in the feed trough, check/change water, flip dry bedding over the poops under the roosts, see ya later.

Keep feeding and watering chores as ergonomic as possible, with the feed can kept close to the feeder, all water for animals in one area so you can finish quickly, etc. I arrange dog living quarters next to the pop door at the back of the coop~both entrances under the same shelter~ and place their heated bucket in the front of the coop....on fresh snow days the dogs then break trail to their water bucket, leaving the chickens a trail to get outdoors and a way to move through the snow if they wish..and the dog tracks provide great traction. I don't have to lift a shovel all winter around my coop.

 

[PaulaMc]

I kept them in a spare room. I covered the floors with old blankets and they were just pullets then. It was kind of a mess to clean up after they went to their coop. But it was great for bonding and getting them used to me. I work nights here. The gentleman at the grocery here gave me a big bag of greens to share with them. They were very excited about that. I'm not sure what time it is there but it's 5:30 pm here. I hope you have a great day. Denise

Aaaww sounds so cute. Am sooo tempted ...

Mine absolutely love spinach and scrambled eggs ha ha. Only their own of course.

I bet working nights is hard work but I suppose you have got used to it. Hope your night shift wasn't too bad.

Paula

 

[PaulaMc]

When I was working full time I did exactly what I do now....feed once a day in the morning in the winter months, let them free range at will and leave the pop door open at all times(I had and still have 2 chicken dogs on guard), any birds that feel broody get their own pen until they get over it...I wouldn't be moving them back and forth, it just creates work for you and doesn't serve any purpose, provide heated watering in the form of a heated dog bowl elevated on something to keep it out of the bedding, use deep litter so I'm not having to clean out a coop all winter long and gather eggs each evening. Each morning it's just a matter of a few minutes to get all morning chores done in the coop....throw feed in the feed trough, check/change water, flip dry bedding over the poops under the roosts, see ya later.

Keep feeding and watering chores as ergonomic as possible, with the feed can kept close to the feeder, all water for animals in one area so you can finish quickly, etc. I arrange dog living quarters next to the pop door at the back of the coop~both entrances under the same shelter~ and place their heated bucket in the front of the coop....on fresh snow days the dogs then break trail to their water bucket, leaving the chickens a trail to get outdoors and a way to move through the snow if they wish..and the dog tracks provide great traction. I don't have to lift a shovel all winter around my coop.

I have never heard of chicken dogs ha ha. Wonder if I could train my cats? Your set up and routine sounds amazing.

I only have a small coop so deep litter wouldn't work. Plus I just enjoy it being poop free ha ha.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[Robeenop]

Hi everyone.

I live in the north of England and currently it is winter. The days are getting shorter and shorter- sunrise 8-8.30 and sunset 3.30.  I work full time as a teacher so need to leave home at 7.30am and often do not get home until after 6pm.  This wasn't a problem in the summer as I would let the girls out at 5.30, feed and water and clean out the poop etc. They would not go to bed until 10pm when the sun went down.

However, they don't want to get up on the dark mornings and have gone to bed before I get home. They free range during the day in my secure garden and have lots of sheltered areas and food and drink stations etc. To add to the problem I currently have two very broody Silkies who need to be enclosed in a separate run each day. I am currently off work ill and so am able to sort them out during the daylight hours but am wondering how other people manage in winter please?

It is not a problem for me to clean out poop using my trusty headlamp and to fill feeders etc - I know it sounds silly but when I go back to work I'll miss giving them their afternoon treats and spending time with them.

Any advice please for a very sentimental chicken lady?

 

[PeacefulPlace]

Sorry the delay in getting back to you. I worked a bunch of days and am struggling with the winter blues. It was a super effort to get out of bed. Is it okay to feed them their own eggs. I worry about enough protein.