Chickens & Snow

[Ted Brown]

After a delayed start to winter yesterday we got ~10" dumped on us; 6am today.

I clear snow for myself and neighbours so went out early to feed/water to find most of my flock inside the coop, normally they would be in the run. I checked the run to find that snow had blown in and covered the pop door platform & ramp.

Took my shovel and cleared it, within seconds heads started popping out and exiting. So now I have my flock as clients during the winter months.

 

[Sally PB]

That's right, hooman! You're Shovel Man until spring!

 

[Mrs. K]

How is that flock working for you? I so enjoyed reading about them. Give us an update.

We have had no snow yet. Down here in the banana belt of SD.

Mrs K

 

[Ted Brown]

How is that flock working for you? I so enjoyed reading about them. Give us an update.

We have had no snow yet. Down here in the banana belt of SD.

Mrs K

Like many others I am getting almost no eggs in the past weeks so it is still a work in progress.

I have Chanteclers, Barred Rocks, a group of Chantecler roo over Rocks and some Maran barnyard mixes that give coloured eggs. The largest group is the Chanteclers that I hoped would survive our cold winters and still lay; turns out not to be in my case. I will add light 3-9am to prompt.

I hatch once per year in June, goal was to have them begin to lay as our winter started to counter the normal reduction. This years hatch have not yet started but should in the next weeks.

I acknowledge that I have a part in this. For me they are not pets (26 hens & pullets and 16 roos & cockerels at the moment), more something to be responsible for and to produce eggs for folks in my local area. I am in my sixth year and it has been/is a learning process. I integrate chicks into the main flock beginning at 4 weeks and have left cockerels in the flock too long a couple of times - creates stress and hardship for the females; driver had been lack of separate cages. I resolved this over the past summer and now have a females only coop & run. Huge improvements, the flock is calmer with much less conflict; I will not go back.

Recently I have questioned the choice of Chanteclers. I get better production from the Rocks and they too are cold weather hardy. Not at a point where I will abandon the Chants but looking for improvements in the next year.

Thanks for asking.

 

[Mrs. K]

I do not know, how many times, I have picked a breed, thinking that this is the breed I like. Visions of careful breeding dance in my head. But truthfully, long range plans have never panned out for me with the chickens. I have had a lot of do overs in the past 20 years. I have gotten comfortable with the idea of a mixed flock. I really don't like all my chickens looking the same, haha.

I now have a better coup/run that is more secure, and that makes a big difference. Currently I am maxed on size- a bakers dozen for the main coop.

I have played with meat birds in the past, and might do them in the spring. I have an old coop/small run I could put them in. I retired this year, so more time to play.

This winter (I am whispering) I have two pullets that were born in the late summer, a year ago, they did not start laying until February...and they are still laying now! This will be the first winter with fresh eggs consistently so far in all the decades of keeping chickens for years.

My water glassed eggs - make up the short fall so far. So far, I have not had to commit that dreaded act of buying eggs.

Thanks for the update, I enjoyed your posts.

Mrs K