Cold out here today in Leavenworth County, and supposed to get to 18 degrees tonight. Keith has gone to buy another warming light for the coop side of the big henhouse. You see, we understand all the controversy around "heating or not heating" in the winter. We have always run a light on bitter nights, and we still get a certain amount of frostbite in the combs, etc.... but we feel it gives the chickens a fighting chance. We use a simple red light, as we do for keeping chicks warm. My old rooster pet, Butch, really appreciates it, and actually roosts close enough that he has burned his feathers in the past.
The only one that will not have one tonight is the little henhouse, the red house. I am going to move part of those hens tonight, the tiny ones... and we do have a light in there. I should have pulled the cord for it while Nathan was here Sunday, so he could crawl in there and connect it for me. I'll do that sometime tomorrow.
The temps are supposed to get a little higher later this week.
We had some snow flurries this afternoon, too... small, dry flakes and it did not last long.
Keith called me about 10:00 AM this morning to tell me to look outside and see the sky, which had been sunny.
The evening news has just shown a short film of heavier snow than we had in Kansas City, north.
Look who has come out of their corner in the new henhouse. I found four eggs in there this afternoon.
I'm going to move two hens from the little henhouse over there tonight, after dark.
'
Gertie slid between my legs when I was going in to lock the birds up, and Jackson made it very clear he did not want her in the henyards.
She finally went under the little white hutch and stood there.
She made a break for the big hen yard, and Jackson held her in one spot for a few seconds, sticking his neck out and gobbling at her. She decided it was better to come with me, than to stay in there with him. He literally chased her out, and I could not get a picture of it, because I had the egg bucket in my hands.
She came back in and laid down by her big buddy.
"I'm the good girl, aren't I, Mama?"
such a cute little helper you have!
ReplyDeletestay warm, dear chickens!
To cute, what a face she has.....enjoyed your post as usual......Blessings Francine.
ReplyDeleteGlad to see your chickens are beginning to feel at home in their new Henspa!
ReplyDeleteYou have the happiest hen house we ever did see! Your thoughtful to think of the chikys so they star warm.
ReplyDeleteIts cold here too.
So one little doggy is good and one is mischevious?
love
tweedles
Oh she is so cute. I really like how it looks in your hen house. My chickens would be so happy there. That is a big turkey.
ReplyDeleteI am glad you are getting some kind of weather. We never have cold weather like that or I might think about a light too. I am so afraid of frostbite on combs and feet.
It does look really pretty.
Yes she is!
ReplyDeleteIt rained yesterday and was even warm yesterday afternoon.
Today will make up for it, temps are dropping again.
You have some great help there - I think? So nice of you to provide warmth.
ReplyDeleteHaha! Love that picture of Gertie and Jackson. I bet she did want to go home, that was a close call! ;) It is getting colder, I'm building the fire in the wood stove as I type... we've actually still be only heating the house in the evenings but today it needs it now... it's about 20 F last time I checked. I'd be using heating bulbs too. I haven't wintered over chickens in a long time, just turkeys and the turkeys are in my main barn which is full of critters so warm. But in their own house, I think it's worth helping, esp. in the very cold. So glad to see the girls realized what a great new place they have to live in!
ReplyDelete