If they are too wimpy to go in the snow, I toss them out. Yeah, I am mean. I don't have to do it too often. However, with the amount of snow we get lately, I have to go out and blow snow out around all the coops just to do chores and then they all come out. I say all, but that is only about 25-30 birds I have in the pasture. I have most of them enclosed when I start getting ready for hatching season. I can't believe how stupid they are either. I got tired of having to go out every night and put the dumb ones in their coop. Some sleep outside even when it is down to zero or below. Dumb Dumb Dumb! So, when people in the South get all worried their chickens are going to get cold when it is 40-degrees at night, I have to laugh my butt off.
I feed those free rangers outside also, so if they want to eat, they gotta put up with the white stuff. It is hilarious to watch them come out when we get a fresh coat of it!
As for ducklings, I have 32 coming this week. My son and I need to set up a duckling brooder for them that will drain off the water mess they make. I HATE brooding ducklings!
So, I ordered Chocolate Runners, Fawn and White Runners, Cayugas and Khaki Campbells. We have never had Runners, so this is our first try with them. I also bought some Cayuga eggs thinking I would have two bloodlines to use if I decide to keep any of them this year. I also figured that I wouldn't get many of the shipped eggs to develop since I have never had good hatches with shipped duck eggs. Lo and behold, the seller sent me extras and only 1 is not developing. I am pulling my hair out. With this cold weather coming, it makes brooding those things even a bigger pain the tush!
Anyone need some Cayugas? LOL!
