Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[Ben1994]

Hey just lookin for any tips with chikens in the snow

[Egluntyne]

Let them stay in their run. They don't like the snow. Keep them protected and have a dekko at all the threads already posted re keeping them warm, stopping the water from freexing .

[docsquid]

Mine didn't like it much. They insisted on going out and then were stumped to find anything to eat. They went in the shed and had a bit of a scratch around. But they didn't really like it. They had already eaten their morning porridge, so I made them extra mash with raisins and mealworms and they went back in their run to eat it. I left the door open but they didn't want to come out again, so I shut it to keep them safe.

 

Blodwyn having a little look at this white stuff

 

She is joined by Megan

 

And now by Gwennie. Pretty soon they were back in their cosy run.

[docsquid]

Got a bit of video of them too.

 

Chickens in the Snow

 

They really don't like it. Normally when I show myself at the back door they run up and down by the door of the run. Now they look at me as if they are worried I'll open the door and force them to go out in it! Blodwyn has taken to the cube to lay an egg (and I suspect to hide from me!).

[prof]

at video. nice pics too.

my 4 are obviously wierd hens as they love the snow . i cant keep em in at all

[docsquid]

at video. nice pics too.

my 4 are obviously wierd hens as they love the snow . i cant keep em in at all

 

Mine are usually bold, plus I have just replaced the Hemcore in their run, so it is particularly nice and clean and fluffy and warm.

 

I didn't realise Megan did a little poo at the end of the video

[prof]

lol

[sandyhas3chucks]

at video. nice pics too.

my 4 are obviously wierd hens as they love the snow . i cant keep em in at all

prof.. it would seem they are just as varied in their like or dislike of the cold/snow/wet, and there tolerance to the cold, as they are over what treats are their favourites or poison:D

[docsquid]

They ARE very hungry in this weather though. I normally give them one bowl of mash. This morning it was a large bowl with extra raisins and mealworms for protein and energy. They had eaten this by lunchtime and they were given another smaller bowl which they have also finished. Plus handfuls of mealworms. The cold is clearly making them much hungrier than normal. They were also eating the wild bird seed from the scoop while I was filling the wild bird feeders.

 

They have unlimited corn and pellets but they aren't so interested in that although they are snacking on it.

 

I think the real top tip in this weather is make sure they have enough to eat. They are eating double what they normally eat at the moment, and the poor little girls are laying every day too.

[lisaroo2]

I've strapped two pillows and an old curtain over the girls eglu, just in the hope that it will help to keep some heat in!

 

I've let them out into the garden today and they've had a lovely time scratching under the hedges where the snow hasn't got. They'd even managed to gather a gang of chaffinches together that were following their exploits picking off tit bits that the girls had missed.

[emchook]

I am assuming that all this snow actually helps to insulate the eglu !

It definitely seems warmer today.. . and strangely the water hasnt even begun to freeze !

[docsquid]

Well the Snugglesafe I wasn't supposed to order but did has arrived, so I think I'll put it in the cube poo tray at around 8-9pm so that it keeps them a little bit warm overnight.

 

It is getting very cold here now. I let them out at 3pm once the tree surgeons had finished, and supervised them for 1/2 hour but apart from a brief foray to the compost heap, they decided it was much better to stick within 2 feet of the run door, and went straight back in as soon as the mealworms appeared. They don't really like the snow, just want to be let out on principle.

[beulah59]

Mine don't seem to mind being on snow, but they don't like it when it snows on them ... they dive for cover as soon as the first flake falls

[poppy33]

I have a walk in run and have bought some bales of straw which I have placed in a U shape and then filled the centre with loose straw , the girls really like snuggling up inside the U and this gives them protection from prevailing winds, If it were to become really cold I could even put a bale across the top making them a little straw house

[Couperwife]

docsquid - thats a fabby video

 

I love the little one that suddenly decides to make a dash for it - almost as if soneone has just told her there are treats at the top of the garden

 

cathy

x

[docsquid]

docsquid - thats a fabby video

 

I love the little one that suddenly decides to make a dash for it - almost as if soneone has just told her there are treats at the top of the garden

 

That's Gwennie! She is A Bit Of A Character. There is sometimes a little spillage from the wild bird seed feeder on the tree and that is what she is after.

 

I've been much more careful re foxes in this weather. I've never seen one here, but a trip round our wildlife site showed fox prints everywhere, reminding me that you don't have to see them for them to be around, and more bold in this weather as they are pretty hungry.

 

Anyway, the upshot of this is I'm only letting them out to FR while I'm in the garden with them. Effectively this means only about 1/2 hour a day (I get cold after that), while I'm cleaning the cube and topping up feeders and so on. They normally get between 3 and 5 hours a day. But they actually don't seem to mind - they are happy so long as they actually get out of the run for a bit, and go back in quite placidly after 30 minutes as if they have been out all day.