Managing the flock in a winter storm

[Mrs MIA]

Hope everything's ok, Lynne! Seems like I'm in a pocket of quiet weather here in AK... we should look like those photos but we're not. Still cold, but quiet and calm. Everything's all backwards!

 

[Reinbeau]

There are still 4,000 people without power here in MA and 11,000 without power up in NH - sincea week ago last Friday morning! That is just horrible, over 10 days without power in this weather. I thank my lucky stars I live where I live, the power has blipped a few times but for the most part it rarely goes out for us, we're on a main trunk line so if anything happens, it gets fixed first. We did lose it for five days, though, back in the late 80's to a hurricane, thank goodness it was freakishly warm for late October (I think it was Gloria, or it may have been Bob, can't remember) so it wasn't totally unbearable.

 

[LynneP]

The northeast has been through a savage time, Tori. The cold is so biting- normally I would have had the hens out, but they'd have been beaten to death in their own run and you know how we put up boards to shelter them. Scary stuff. In Cape Breton Island they're getting 180 km/h winds and an ocean storm surge at high tide today- enough 'to compromise infrastructure'. Good Lord.

Ann, the greater metro area (Halifax) is without power and in New Brunswick to your north it's far worse with over 50 000 households, and more predicted to go down. Some may get power tonight but others will be waiting many days and the weather is not predicted to get much better. Some families are in for a rugged Christmas.

 

[momofdrew]

Well today the sun is out but it is still windy and fridged
we snowblowed a path to the coop and after clearing the doors let them out while I worked out there...they did not stay out long went back into their run and bawked at me to hurry up and close the dang door... I have been getting 2 eggs a day all weekend and I have 3 hens so one of them is in overdrive...I am having problems closing the doors there is ice stuck in the corners

We have over a foot of snow combined from the 2 storms...Luckily it is very fine so not heavy to move...lots of drifting going on today...schools had a 2 hour delay today

How do you get the birds to eat warm oatmeal??? my chooks look at it like it might bite them back...

Pam

 

[LynneP]

Birds came through all right, and I had to keep them indoors again today- it's like the Arctic here, wind chills still in the -20'. Another storm coming....so many of us here at BYC are probably running our errands today, our grocery was packed but many goods not available because trucks were late getting into the province.

Many people still without power, over 100 000 homes and businesses in Nova Scotia alone at the peak of the storm (winter hurricane) and 198 km/h winds on western Cape Breton- a lot of damage there.

Yes, I do give various treats- tonight it's suet with pb, currants, BOSS, flax, etc. Every now and then I put some suet mix in the hopper feeder with some extra grit, and they love to find it randomly dropping into the angle pipe at the bottom!

I need it to get warmer...how about you?

 

[Reinbeau]

It's actually supposed to warm up from now on overnight, with pouring rain tomorrow - gonna make a nice mess out there! But they say the snow will still be with us on Christmas, there's too much for it to all melt away. It's in the 20's right now with little wind, a heat wave compared to the past few days!

 

[LynneP]

Yes, that system is heading here, too and another Saturday. Yikes. Another night of -12 and wind chill in the -20's, but moderating for snow tomorrow. To be honest, I'd trade the Arctic chill for snow right now. I have an elderly horse I'm babying, and after keeping the hens in for 3 days I'd like them to get a break. The barn cats are in heaven- extra food, heated poultry waterer in the aisleway, yadda yadda. No need to go out, dahling