Violet's only companion died today - and it's freezing

[KayTee]

Maybe since they are not in Violets "territory" they will get the chance to work things out?!?

Stay safe and warm!!!

Good point Acornewell - maybe a day or two in 'neutral' territory will be a good thing for them.

Fingers crossed for you Yogamebird - we've been seeing the forecasts for the weather you're getting - it's made the news even here in Europe, so I can imagine that it must be bad! A good idea to bring your girls in for a couple of days to keep them out of the worst of it and make certain that you can look after them. I really hope that they get on well together in their enforced confinement!

 

[LipsChicks]

I've been following your storm. It looks like it's north of New York so right in your area. I'm glad your girls are close to you for your own piece of mind. How are you holding out?

 

[yogamebird]

The blizzard of 2015 by and large passed us by. It's very cold and blow-y but we got only 8" and the travel ban has been lifted. You're right about the girls getting along a little better. Violet still tries to eat Tilly's food but there were moments of two hens eating out of the same bowl - but we also gave them separate bowls too. It's kind of nice having them in the garage - don't have to trek through the snow and ice to take care of them!

 

[deacons]

Mine are hanging out in the garage today too, it's a little more protected from the heavy winds and blowing snow. I use a corner of the garage for days when we're having extreme winter weather, and you'd swear they are like little kids on a field trip, they have great fun in there!

An old wheelbarrow makes a fun perch for the day



They have even gotten comfortable enough to use an open bag of shavings as a nest

I walked in earlier and there were two ladies in the bag and a couple of eggs underneath them.

 

[KayTee]

Mine are hanging out in the garage today too, it's a little more protected from the heavy winds and blowing snow. I use a corner of the garage for days when we're having extreme winter weather, and you'd swear they are like little kids on a field trip, they have great fun in there!

An old wheelbarrow makes a fun perch for the day



They have even gotten comfortable enough to use an open bag of shavings as a nest

I walked in earlier and there were two ladies in the bag and a couple of eggs underneath them.

Excellent idea - your girls look like they're having a great time - it's almost like a little holiday for them!

In fact, it's probably a good thing in bad weather - it is so easy for birds to get bored when they're cooped up for a long time in the same place - putting them in a new environment means they have different things to look at and explore. Even if it's not a big space it doesn't matter - it's all interesting and will keep their interest.

 

[yogamebird]

So you're letting them free range in the garage? I'm thinking about poop on my husband's tools, but maybe I'm being too squicky.

 

[deacons]

@yogamebird - they are corralled in a husband-approved corner of the garage, with a thick plastic tarp down on the ground and a layer of straw on top to make poop clean-up easier (and we'll still probably power wash the floor in the spring). We basically built them a little pen to keep them contained in about 1/4 of a fairly typical size two car garage. He also has a layer of painters plastic over his tools to keep the dust off them.

 

[yogamebird]

One of my local friends posted on FB a picture of her 6-7 chickens cage free in the laundry room! Her husband built a freestanding perch (looked like a wide towel rod) about 6" above the ground there they all were on it lined up in a row.

My question - do they need a perch? We have one in our coop obviously but what is it about the perch? Right now they are in the dog crate and when I checked on them last night they appeared to be contentedly nesting in the straw.

 

[Acornewell]

This is too funny! I miss having a garage. I told my husband that when we add on the garage that we need to do an extension to have the coop connected to the house! It just makes sense to me. I hate having my birds all the way in the barn. They are just too far away for me!

 

[LipsChicks]

I can only imagine what your husband had to say.