Chickens & Snow

Herr_Schmitt

Do we need to do anything different / special for our chickens whilst the ground is covered in snow? We are breaking the ice on the drinking water regularly and from the 6 birds we are averaging 5 eggs per day so they seem happy enough. Their coop is off the ground and seems to be dry etc.

Is this enough or is there anything else we could be doing?

Thanks in advance & Merry Christmas!!:beer:

Beltona

We cook up some pearl barley, porridge with cooked veg water or add warm water to their layers pellets.

They seem to enjoy it!

knithryn

Get them snow shoes?
If they are still laying then they must be happy enough...

Lotus-eater

I give mine more of a proportion of mixed corn in their feed, instead of so much layers pellets. It makes them warmer AIUI.

My new chickens from this summer really really hate the snow and didn't step in it for the first 5 hours, they're only just getting used to it now and then a fresh load this morning, leaves them hanging around on the coop step jostling for position, none of them quite wanting to step off

stumpycat

I'm also feeding mine porridge - a mix of layers mash, oats, sultanas & then some bio yoghurt stirred in (I buy the reduced stuff at Asda, just to stick to the moneysaving theme!) They've also got mixed corn as they're still a bit scrawny.

Their coop is inside a playhouse, so they can wander about that or go out the pop hole into their run. A couple are moulting at the moment (they are ex-batts, rescued in November) but they still like to have a quick look outside.

mrs_motivated

I dont do anything different with my chickens when it snows. Only the obvious (check the drinkers haven't frozen) oh and give them a little extra mixed corn before they go to bed, to keep energy levels up.
Still gettin 20 plus eggs a day :T

OK_Sauce

My chickens must be happy as they're all still laying. They seem to be totally oblivious to the snow, and they can't wait to get out of the coop in the morning. The fools! :rotfl:

diluvsdiscounts

Beltona wrote: »

We cook up some pearl barley, porridge with cooked veg water or add warm water to their layers pellets.

They seem to enjoy it!

I was about to get 4 chickens last week and then it snowed so I'm going to wait until the snow is gone because I want them to be happy when they arrive.
Can I just ask about layers pellets are there any chemicals in these or are they completely organic as someone has recommended that we feed them layers pellets more than corn.

Lotus-eater

There are layers pellets and then are organic layers pellets.

I use normal, some people swear by organic. Organic of course are a bit more expensive.

toni_

ive got 12 chickens at the mo, in the morning i give them mash mixed with water and boiled up with veg peelings and they love this! they eat it when its straight off the stove! must help warm them up. They get layers pellets in the afternoon and i chuck corn down for them in the evenings when i want them to come back in there run for the night, and have 12 happy hens

One_Day_Rodney

I got my first chickens last summer as pullets and made a 8' x 4' raised caged run for them to live in with a link to their hen-house.
So it's their first winter and mine as a chicken keeper.

I 'winterised' the run for them in november to protect them from the wind, rain, frost and snow but still with plenty of ventilation. I used transparent corrugated roofing sheets on the sides (run already has upvc roof) which are held on with butterfly nuts, so in the summer I can quickly remove and store them.
Just before xmas, I put a 120W tubular heater from Screwfix in their hen house working off a thermostat ( you can just see it at the top of the 2nd piccy)

I also frequently give them bran flakes with a sprinkle of sugar mashed in hot water (which they love). As some people have already mentioned above, I have also increased the corn to layer pellet ratio.
To ensure they always have unfrozen water, I leave a bowl in the corner of the hen house in addition to their usual water container.





Probably pampered too much !