Bringing chickens in the house

[vickiemontana]

My chickens have come into the house on their own if I don't close the door all the way. I'm so afraid they will poop in the house. How do you deal with that?

It has been -54 here wind chill and I just turned on the heat lamp and greased my roo. Little bit of frost bite before I discovered that secret on here. They all huddle close when it is cold. No signs of distress.

But thank God here in Montana it's been in the 40's. I know, I know, it's Montana, but were in the zone. I'll pray for you all back east. I've been hearing how cold it is. Not that we don't get it, just not this winter yet.

God Bless all,
vickie

 

[EliteTempleton]

Quote:
Surgical Masks

Quote:
Living in North Dakota for 2 years and then finding out many of you mid-westerners don't do much more then we do, brought me ease of mind, knowing that the RIR's weather -34 every winter just fine keeps me from bringing mine into the basement. I just give them extra scratch with a high mix of corn and go to bed.

 

[vickiemontana]

I may be a negletful parent but I don't even do the corn scratch. I can't get it here. I am so lucky my girls are doing so well. But we are having a really weird warm spell. Much to the opposite of your cold one. Yet, greatfully unlike So Cal. at 90 deg. I'm sure I'll have my moment on this post, but thank God it hasn't happend yet.

Oh yea, I also go to the market and get their wilted and bruised produce. I have about 25 melons out there now. My girls love it. Tomatoes, cucumbers.... well anything really. I think the extra sugar keeps them warm as well.

 

[EliteTempleton]

I just mixed a bag of corn feed with some bird(wild) seed. You could also just buy some normal bird seed and look for corn in it. But, that's just if ya want to, I've never actually bought a bag labeled "scratch"

I never thought to looked for damaged produce, that's a good idea, I'll have to ask around about that locally. Thanks!

 

[crtrlovr]

The independent, "mom & pop" type stores are going to be much more likely to work with you on the produce thing. The Kroger chain and Walmart will not do so because of company policy and liability issues (in case someone would eat the "beyond prime" items, get sick, and try to sue...

) Hope you can find someone to cooperate with you!

 

[annmarie]

I only have 3 chickens so I'm boxing them up tonight and putting them in an unheated mudroom. It's going to be -20F and 2 of them are in various stages of molting. I plan on putting them back out in the coop tomorrow when it gets to about a balmy 5 degrees, but will box them up again one more time tomorrow night when I think it's supposed to go back to about -20F.

 

[EliteTempleton]

That's ok, you're not likely to catch me at a chain store anyway, I'm more of a locavore.