Preparing Your Flock & Coop for WINTER

[Blooie]

Some of mine will happily go out into the snow and others just will not! This is Cora, a Cuckoo Marans, taken last winter in January when she was about 10 months old. She takes every opportunity to squirt outside, regardless of the weather or ground cover, and she has 4 or 5 accomplices on her ski trips!

Silly chickens!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Thanks Blooie, now I have to add a cuckoo Maran to my chick order for next year.

 

[PouleNoire]

She is pretty Blooie! Brave girl!

 

[Blooie]

Thanks Blooie, now I have to add a cuckoo Maran to my chick order for next year.

My work here is done!

@FeatherMtnFarms Thanks. She's a good girl....and tough as nails!

 

[KarennFallon]

Thank you everybody, you helped a lot!

 

[cicknmama]

Had our first snow here in Southeastern Montana. It was just a skiff but a few of my old ladies refused to come out of the covered run, in fact, I think they stayed in the coop all day! Some of my pullets came out to investigate. Found my speckled Sussex in a nesting box this afternoon after they all went to bed for the night. She was shivering. Does that happen as they acclimate? I have no heat in my uninsulated coop and a plastic covered run. She just finished molting also. She is one that prefers to hang out in the coop during the day. I feed Calf Manna in the AM for extra protein and scratch grains at night for warmth. Any ideas, comments or suggestions?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

It does seem like a sudden drop in temperatures will make some chickens look cold and miserable, but the same drop a week or two later the same chickens aren't bothered by it, so yeah it's a part of acclimating, it's the same for us humans, a few weeks ago 50 was cold, now I find it almost hot.

 

[21hens-incharge]

A couple of mine last winter having a less than desired day in the snow. So long as I shovel it so that they can see the dirt a bit they are willing to go out. If they cannot see any dirt I only get dirty looks til it is cleaned for them. Spoiled snots lol.
A little scratch on top of the little dirt patches gets them to working to help me clear the rest.

 

[cicknmama]

It does seem like a sudden drop in temperatures will make some chickens look cold and miserable, but the same drop a week or two later the same chickens aren't bothered by it, so yeah it's a part of acclimating, it's the same for us humans, a few weeks ago 50 was cold, now I find it almost hot.

Thanks for the reassurance. It has been unseasonably warm here until now. Guess I should let them do what they need to. Just hate getting dirty eggs

 

[Blooie]

Already down to 11 degrees and it's only 10pm here. It's gonna be a long winter.