Keeping warm

[jaywin]

Hi
Sorry by coop I mean the shed they go into at night. It is approx 10ft by 10ft with loads of roost space. They free range in the day. Sadly on Monday they will have to be in lock down - in big covered runs, as once again we have avian flu here
I’ll add my location when I go in amd get my specs on

 

[jaywin]

LOL nothing better than the big kid trying to hide under mom's skirt when fully grown! That is a great visual. Yes, night time is a total process! Lots of bargaining. My favorites are the hens who go to bed early to try and get the "prime" spots up top only to get booted off when the others come in, something akin to "thanks for keeping my seat warm now beat it".

We are outside Portland Oregon where rain is a permanent fixture - snow storms happen now and again - but last year was a huge ice event that left us without grid power for 8.5 days. The ice storm went for 4 days and I had to lock everyone in (poor birdies) because there was so much ice, ice falling from huge fir trees, entire trees breaking and falling, you couldn't go more than 90 seconds without hearing something come down for a solid 3 days. Day 1 wasn't too bad. And while the net stands up well to almost anything, the sheer weight of the accumulated ice made it dangerous to be under. Thankfully easy to repair!

Edited to add, this is what it's supposed to look like with the net up on the poles.
View attachment 2909866

Fortunately when we moved here we got a propane generator - we are absolutely last priority to the power company in a low population rural area. The prior record was 3 days when we lived closer in to town, and watched all the subdivisions across the road get their power restored in hours - it was a good lesson before moving farther out.

Wow you really are at the other side of the world to me! Looks quite rural on google maps. Here’s hoping you don’t have to spend many days off grid this winter.

 

[Shezadandy]

Wow you really are at the other side of the world to me! Looks quite rural on google maps. Here’s hoping you don’t have to spend many days off grid this winter.

LOL Yes, it's more than a casual thought to go to the grocery store or building supply. I haven't been on your side of the globe since the mid-80s when there was still an East and West Germany, but we did spend a couple days in the English countryside where my grandparents had relatives. Not a clue where exactly, but it was beautiful!

Fingers crossed no ice this year, snow we love.

How frustrating to be dealing with avian flu! Very scary.