Well, The snow is finally here. My flock has grown and here I sit. I would not let the girls and boys out this day. I left the stalls open and put scratch down from one end of the barn to the other (big one for chickens) and filled the feeders. I have not done this yet this year. Any suggestions should I end up with fighting roos ?? I am going up there in about an hour and then I have to leave for the day. I is ice covered ground really. Maybe this is the day to put out the yogurt bucket !! update: Well, I just did not have the heart to leave em in all day. So i open the barn door and I see a mass of chickens running for the door. Then..... Most just stopped at the door and a herd of feathered butts started slamming into the other in front of them. I had one wild hen that flew out, never landed on the ground and managed to fly right back into the barn. It really was quite commical to watch. There are only a few out now. The red jungle fowl roo of course, he is a veteran and a few silkies. The rest are still at the barn door trying to figure out what the white stuff is !!
I have 6 roos that all live in the coop together all morning til we let them out when it warms up a little. It's not a huge coop either. It's been super cold, and one of my girls likes to wander off and lay an egg in the doghouse. Then the dog eats it. So I've been keeping them in during the AM hours, and have had no problems at all with fights. Neither are my girls all beat up from over-mating. I think they are kinda subdued by the cold.
No reason here in Maine to keep the birds locked up inside. They were out in the snow yesterday morning in the dark and at around 3 degrees F. and seemed happy as clams. They have access to the outdoors except on the coldest & windy nights. During the day, it's up to them to go out or stay in. If survival and good health is a gauge, they seem to always make good choices. Wayne
The first sight of snow is pretty funny, I should have had my camera, and you've captured the image well! Mine balked yesterday at blizzard conbditions, -23C wind chill and 80 km/h winds. First time they preferred to stay in though I left pop door available. Installed the electric dog bowl!
Mine did the same thing... The only one to come out of the run was my red sex link, etta. She'll do anything for food. My EEs just kept flying around and trying to land on stuff that had managed to escape the snowfall. Too funny!!! Lori
