[Ag-eq] Cold

[Nella Foster]

I really miss the sound of chickens; it always sounds like they are having
conversations with each other.

Nella

-----Original Message-----
From: Ag-eq [mailto:ag-eq-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of dogwood farm via
Ag-eq
Sent: Wednesday, January 10, 2018 9:39 AM
To: Agricultural and Equestrean Division List
Cc: dogwood farm
Subject: Re: [Ag-eq] Cold

Tracy

I did have chickens and my last dozen were killed by a particular farrel tom
cat from June to October about 4 years ago.  We are working to strip out the
coops with new wire top to bottom and doing extreme cat proofing as we go
along.

With cold weather like this, the main thing we did is to make sure that they
were shut up tight over night, checked their water twice daily for ice, made
sure their inside food (mash) stayed accessible and their scratch was either
spread on a wooden plank inside if it was actively snowing or on a cleared
plank outside in their run.  My Rhoad Island Red rooster was extremely
protective of his hens and if there was snow outside he would not let them
go outside threw the little hen door.  We would have to open the bigger
people door and stand between him and the door so they could get outside for
a while.  He would only allow them to eat their scratch if it was on the
ground or on the plank, anything else such as a flattened feed bag or the
lid of a bucket and he acted as though there was a wolverine in the pin.

The cold didn't seem to bother them very much as long as they had their
creature comforts and a little more shavings in their boxes and straw on the
floor.  They spent the majority of their time inside their hen boxes or
scratching around in the straw.  Little to no egs were laid in this time
period because they were still considered in their molting stage.  I would
gather eggs during the evening feeding to lessen the chance of freezing, but
if they did freeze and slightly crack, the cold protected them and they
could still be used safely, as long as they were used that day.  Very rarely
did that happen.

Matt and I both really miss the little buggers.  Their contented clucking
and the roosters crowing became such a calming background noise that when
you aren't hearing it any more, it really leaves a void around the farm.

Susan
dogwoodfarm62 at gmail.com

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