Managing the flock in a winter storm

[Princessferf]

In the past 48 hours we have received 12 inches of snow and now our temperatures have dropped to -7 with -30 windchill.

I was working in the coop this morning and brought an extra bale of straw in for them. We have a heater base for their water so it doesn't freeze.

I will be taking a warm plate of oatmeal w/ extra seeds (one of their favorites) to them to provide a little extra warmth in their bellies.

This type of weather isn't uncommon around here, but they sure don't like it.

I wasn't able to even clean out their droppings, they were frozen solid and I couldn't even chop them up with my "cobra garden hoe".

The worst part is the high winds, those can go away any time now!

 

[ebonykawai]

I got out early this morning, before the second storm hit. I shoveled snow off the tarps covering the run, shoveled all around the coop and run so we'd all have access, then I shoveled a path to the fields where I normally dump their shavings/manure. Then I totally changed out the shavings in their coop and put in 2 whole fresh bags. Nice and clean and deep!! I have a heated dog bowl in the run just outside their pop door, but I also bought an extra regular waterer that goes inside the coop, to swap out each morning when they freeze over. So all is well out there.

Earlier, however, I had the run door open because it was sunny and I thought they'd like to get out while they could. Two did venture out, but they seemed lost in the wind and it started to snow again, so my daughter ran out and put them back in the coop (they were only 2 feet from it, how could they get lost?????). They were just sitting in the snow not moving. It really scared me, they would have frozen if we hadn't moved them. WHY DID THEY DO THAT??? It was really weird.

Anyway, they should be fine overnight. I'll take them scratch in the morning and swap out their waterer. Gave them a big bowl of greens today and grapes, which they devoured.

 

[kristenm1975]

Here on Whidbey Island in WA state, I've had to eat my words. My boyfriend was worrying about us being snowed in and I just laughed and teased him. Lose power? Good chance. Get snowed in?? No chance! Well, it's been snowing since Wednesday and we are officially snowed in. I haven't been able to get to work since the snow started. We finally dig out some old chains to put on my car so we could get to town for food. They don't exactly fit the car, but we'd never have made it otherwise.

This global warming thing has made it downright impossible to predict weather as it's bringing things I've never seen before after living in WA state basically all my life.

My girls' coop was made with a door that supposed can be shut, but it doesn't have a pop door, so once it got shut, I'd have to go out there in the wee hours of the morning to open it up. Even if I were keen on that idea, the straw/poop/snow/ice made a big bump in the doorway that isn't going anywhere but IS blocking the door from shutting. I did the second best thing and got a nice thick vinyl shower curtain and nailed it over the doorway, cutting a small door in the bottom of the curtain. It's all but eliminated the draft in there.

At first, they were freaked out by the curtain and were not going to go into the coop. I was getting worried because the snow kicked up, the wind started howling, and I could see them one by one approach the door, wanting to go in, but turning away.

All but two ended up going in on their own after an hour's indecision. I went back out and picked them up and put them in myself. So, they're all tucked in for the night with another serving of hot mash and cracked corn to keep them warm thru the night.

I hope that'll do! I'm still getting two eggs a day , so I think that's a good sign.

 

[Barn Maid Ann]

We had snow starting early AM. Then it turned to rain in the afternoon.

The horses have been hating this blustery wet cold weather.....all they want is IN - Rosarita pleads by pulling the gate: Mom, can't you see the weather is frightful...?

The dogs were lovin' it:

And the chickens were high and dry in the barn. They normally aren't allowed to loiter in the barn. So they are loving this special treatment. Four of my five Andalusians decided to pose (and crow) for the picture:

The wind is howling now. I hope they can all be as comfy as possible. I do worry about them, but I battened down the hatches as best I could. I always throw hay to horses, and check on chickens just before bed time. Then I cross my fingers til morning.

 

[FisherMOM]

aw..poor Rosarita begging to come in. Lucky chickens.
Mine are locked in their coop and I opened the door so tha they can roam in the shed too... it is a big treat for them too.

 

[digitS']

Handling the snow is nearly all that I'm doing lately . . . shovel this way, shovel that way, shovel again . . .

Usually, it is about my only Winter exercise.

I'm getting all the work out of the way early this year (yeah, sure

).

Steve

 

[sfmac]

Here in southern NH the ice storm did us a bad turn! Our power went out 12/12 @ 4am and did not return until Friday @ 12:15pm. Late Friday afternoon the first big storm landed, and it snowed without interuption until Saturday evening. The following storm hit Sunday mid-afternoon and it was still snowing steadily at 11:00 last night when we went to bed. Lots of good ideas here. It is predicted to be 4F tonight so I will put some more hay out and be ready with extra unfrozen water. Got to get one of those waterer heaters.

Love those Nova Scotians, particularly my Antigonish cousins!

Steve

 

[ItsSuzzie]

Ok, if this is for us poor spoiled Californians, you forgot to tell us about water pipes and Car freeze plugs. I guess living out in the Desert in an RV already has me somewhat prepared.

We have propane, we HAD water till pipes broke, we have a gas powered generator which we use continuously.

If this is going to continue, I need a barn. My California chickens are to dumb to get off the wet floor, and they have a perch. I put down straw to help.

My horse is happier that the one in the pic, she is still young and is eating the snow off the corral, althought my friend has been warning me about sand colic. Ok, the horse is hubbies...hate to say that but I really know nothing about horses and so I would never have brought one home. I go out and check on her though, she looks happy and healthy.

Hubby was driving. Not smashed up, not a wreck, just slid sideways when trying to get home.

Just wanted to warm you up.

Good luck to everyone.

 

[pbjmaker]

Is that a picture of the sun? I had heard it existed somewhere! Thanks for the picture it really did warm me

I was out in the cold yesterday (Iowa) and although the clouds had cleared it was -7 with a nasty windchill. But as I was contenplating the weather I looked up and there was a rainbow! It was very faint so I had to look twice. I don't recall ever seeing a rainbow in winter!

 

[LynneP]

The sun is out there?

It's been the same here, the old horse didn't fuss one bit when I shut him in yesterday and he's been in all today- box stall, mind you, a hot bran mash both days and extra alfalfa cubes and grain ration. It's going to be quite a cleanout tomorrow. Gave him 2 extra bales of peat moss and though I dumped the wheelbarrow before the storm yesterday there was *no way* I was opening the barn today.

Hens were in yesterday and today, and despite being cold-hardy birds, it was too *vicious* for them. I think they were afraid I'd open the pop door- no one even went near it. In fact the winds were so deadly a bird could never have survived a gust against the hardware cloth, even with the snow boards on the bottom. In 22 years on the property, and part of that included a monster storm named 'White Juan', so called because it came after Hurricane Juan, this has been the worst storm I have ever endured in relation to animal care. Hens are behaving fine indoors and eating voraciously. Had 11 eggs so I guess their internal clocks are working. The winds have not died down and we're expected to get them and continuing whiteouts until tomorrow morning, when the temperature will again plunge. Global warming, *phooey*.

The toughest tomcat in the district refused to leave shelter of the barn yesterday even though the lady who shelters him was home; the other breeder toms made some kind of a pact and are still together, occupying distant but neutral corners in the loft. The females and juveniles are in various clusters in hay or on spare sheets of styrofoam insulation. They have a heated waterer like the birds and I'm feeding extra.

The power has been on and off, we're been lucky so far, generator on standby.

Sheets of ice are dislodging from rooftops, there are widespread brownouts and blackouts and business and government offices are closed. Even the post office is shut.

I have no photos, it's too cold to take the camera out! But those who did, it's an eye-opener, I feel for that horse wanting *in*.

Steve- those 30 power crews got home from the northeast states in time to work for us! I used to participate in the Highland Games in Antigonish as a piper.