Snow time!

[N F C]

I ended up loosing one of my 4 breeding hens to egg binding and deep freezing ( in the teens with sustained heavy winds).
Hens didn’t come out of the tractor for several days. I did regular head counts but they were huddled together and I was not able too detect her distress.
heavy heart

Sorry to hear of your loss

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

I’ve since tacked empty feed sacks on the front on either side of the door and placed wind barriers around all 4 sides to block wind from the bottom. The floor of the tractor is hardware cloth so there is adequate ventilation.
It looks awful but had been effective the last 2 nights when we had gusts to 50mph.
I love winter but am concerned for my chickens. Was supposed to be mild, but this is not mild for here so far.

I’m going to attach a feed sack to an area that seems like it would allow drafts this weekend.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

http://abundantpermaculture.com/mobile-chicken-coop/Thanks. It’s called a chickshaw. It’s a chicken tractor developed by Justin Rhodes specifically for moving more easily over not-flat terrain. Securing the chickens at night not dependent on sitting tight on flat ground and is relatively easy for one old woman to move, that being me!

Is that good for the weather you’re getting? I can’t imagine my tsc coop is any more protective. But, just asking as I don’t know how they do in a tractor in the winter.

I think I saw this on you tube.

 

[henaynei]

Is that good for the weather you’re getting? I can’t imagine my tsc coop is any more protective. But, just asking as I don’t know how they do in a tractor in the winter.

I think I saw this on you tube.

Yes, I barricade around the bottom 4 sides with whatever I have just to hinder the wind. I’ve also tacked some feed bags over the open screen, again for the wind.
With its general design and the open wire floor (with 2x2 perches) there is plenty of ventilation. It’s just the wind from which they need protection

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

Yes, I barricade around the bottom 4 sides with whatever I have just to hinder the wind. I’ve also tacked some feed bags over the open screen, again for the wind.
With its general design and the open wire floor (with 2x2 perches) there is plenty of ventilation. It’s just the wind from which they need protection

So, I just read through the site regarding the paddocks. Do you do that with your chickens when the weather is good?

 

[henaynei]

So, I just read through the site regarding the paddocks. Do you do that with your chickens when the weather is good?

I’ve only had them this last year, hatched them last April. I didn’t get them outside for about 8 weeks.
This year I kept them rotating around my front yard, moving them daily. They were small and stayed in a cattle panel tractor I had built. Moving that behemoth daily was very difficult and the wheel lowering assembly sometimes required more muscle than I have.
I live on the side of a mountain and the ground is both very uneven and in sections very steep. The unevenness endangered the chickens because they got caught under the edges when moving while I struggled to control it AND was Not predator proof. Moving, essentially dragging, that tractor, weighing a few hundred pounds was exhausting and dangerous for me AND the chickens.
By the time they were too big for that the “chickshaw” was built but it was near mid fall and too late to pasture. So they have a large semi-petmanent paddock that has taken over my entire front yard. They are let out of the chickshaw every morning and closed up each evening. Somewhat lighter and on permanently placed high wheels the chickshaw is immensely easier to move. It also totally eliminates the danger to the chickens when moved and they are safe from predators. I move it every week or 2 to spread out the droppings and then layer with hay/straw. They scratch and work it right in.
By spring I hope to have the portable electric chicken fence so I can start pasturing them by rotating them around my 2.5 acres. I’ve less than 20 so I don’t need a lot of room. With the solar portable electric chicken fence I’ll be moving them weekly.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

@henaynei What solar electric fence will you be using?
I think the paddock system sounds interesting. Just not sure my husband would go for it. Lol. Do you have a livestock guard dog? I don’t think I could do the paddock system without one and that would mean a 4th dog for us. But, then I’m not sure if an lgd would fend off hawks either? But, from what I’ve read it seems like they would. I also think I would have to have more than 4 chickens to justify any of this.

 

[henaynei]

@henaynei What solar electric fence will you be using?
I think the paddock system sounds interesting. Just not sure my husband would go for it. Lol. Do you have a livestock guard dog? I don’t think I could do the paddock system without one and that would mean a 4th dog for us. But, then I’m not sure if an lgd would fend off hawks either? But, from what I’ve read it seems like they would. I also think I would have to have more than 4 chickens to justify any of this.

I plan to use Primier 1 - pasture raised rotation decreases chances of worms and other parasites. Can keep
More chickens in “less” space because they actually get more square footage per bird because you move them weekly or more often. They provide free nitrogen rich fertilizer and they till it into the ground. You can actually put them up n on a garden bed for a week at a time, moving mg them from bed to bed. Watch them and don’t leave them long enough for them to flatten the ground. Throwing mulch or compost will encourage them to scratch and till even more.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

I would have to invest in a lgd too, so that's where I know its not going to happen we already have 3 indoor dogs.
Hawks are perching outside the coop area on various places to keep an eye on the chicken delicasies.
I'd have a whole mini farm if I could. Dh grew up on a dairy farm - he says he didn't leave farming for me to bring it to him.

 

[bluebird]

It’s supposed to drop to -15* today... poor chickies