Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[Mother of Chaos]

It has kept snowing all day and is still coming down. It’s hard to measure, but about 6-7”:

They still weren’t coming out of the coop (no footprints in the blown-in snow), and it occurred to me that they might have been scared to hop down into the mysterious white stuff, which was also on the ramp. So I shoveled my way on out and also cleared a portion of the run floor. Brought their snow-covered food dish and frozen water in the house; nuked the feed, replaced the ice with warm water, and four of the five are out in the run; still unimpressed with the great outdoors.

Buffy remained in a nest box in the coop, either trying to lay or just saying to hell with it and staying warmer. Lil and Willow have both laid today.

Definitely looking forward to having a real roof over the entire run, plus electricity. While waiting on that, I’ll wrap the rest of the run walls in plastic, which if nothing else should probably cause spring to arrive in a week.

 

[Skyeknight]

They still weren’t coming out of the coop (no footprints in the blown-in snow), and it occurred to me that they might have been scared to hop down into the mysterious white stuff,

Had the same with my CX pullets. Wanted them to experience the snow but they didn't jump out like they normally would when I opened the coop door. They are cooped up because of avian influenza. They did eat it when I offered some for inspection in my hand.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Had the same with my CX pullets. Wanted them to experience the snow but they didn't jump out like they normally would when I opened the coop door. They are cooped up because of avian influenza. They did eat it when I offered some for inspection in my hand.

I was a little surprised, because we did have an early snow in November, but it wasn’t nearly this deep, of course. Still, I thought they would have given it a try, but no marks in the snow. They definitely headed for the warmed-up feed though!

Other than accusatory expressions when they saw me, they seem to have been fine in the coop, including laying eggs. And pooping, of course. Maybe they’ve snuck a deck of cards in there.

It’s down to 14°F/-10°C. I think I like Celsius/centigrade. It sounds much more dramatic in cold weather!

 

[fuzzi]

 

[Mother of Chaos]

View attachment 4291461

How much more snow are you forecast to get?

 

[BDutch]

They are cooped up because of avian influenza.

It not obliged to coop them up. In a run, behind a fence is good enough.

 

[Molpet]

It has kept snowing all day and is still coming down. It’s hard to measure, but about 6-7”:
View attachment 4291421

They still weren’t coming out of the coop (no footprints in the blown-in snow), and it occurred to me that they might have been scared to hop down into the mysterious white stuff, which was also on the ramp. So I shoveled my way on out and also cleared a portion of the run floor. Brought their snow-covered food dish and frozen water in the house; nuked the feed, replaced the ice with warm water, and four of the five are out in the run; still unimpressed with the great outdoors.

Buffy remained in a nest box in the coop, either trying to lay or just saying to hell with it and staying warmer. Lil and Willow have both laid today.

View attachment 4291424

Definitely looking forward to having a real roof over the entire run, plus electricity. While waiting on that, I’ll wrap the rest of the run walls in plastic, which if nothing else should probably cause spring to arrive in a week.

I save bags of leaves and grass or straw for putting on top of snow. Otherwise they won't go on that white cold lava

 

[fuzzi]

How much more snow are you forecast to get?

I just looked, 3"-5" more overnight. Looks like we might hit a foot.

5:30pm

 

[Mother of Chaos]

I save bags of leaves and grass or straw for putting on top of snow. Otherwise they won't go on that white cold lava

I have another bale of straw in the shed. If it’s done snowing tomorrow morning (in the 6°), I’ll spread straw out along paths for their delicate tootsies.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

I just looked, 3"-5" more overnight. Looks like we might hit a foot.

5:30pm
View attachment 4291602
View attachment 4291603

Whoosh!!