We may only have a few chickens, 2 Hen and 1 Roo, but we like to make sure they are happy, healthy, and safe during extreme weather conditions!
These are the four quick steps we took to ensure they were safe during the snow. The weather man is predicting 6-10 inches.
1.Spread a fresh layer of Hay to keep them warm and busy, scratching through it. We use the deep litter method that Fresh-Eggs-Daily recommended. So far so good, using this method the birds stay warm and toasty inside their coop.(Also we picked a few handfuls of grass, before the snow covered it up, as a tasty treat).
2. Use loose hay to seal up any large gaps in the coop. This will help keep them dry and keep the warm air in. There is a ramp that leads to their outside area so the hole on the floor of the coop leading outside will provide air flow without letting in any snow.
3.Cover the outside areas with metal or wood to give them as much space as possible to move around.
4. Whip up some oatmeal; fresh whole oats, garlic powder, and dried basil from our garden last summer! They love this and look hilarious when they get it on their face! <added bonus!! lol
Weather Extremes: In the south the news can predict several inches of snow and then you end up with a bright sunny day. I don't like to close up the coop until I feel the temperature drop, or cover up their outside area (where they have access to sunlight) until I see the snow falling. This means we have to be dedicated to checking the temps outside (not on the television) in order to keep our girls (and boy) safe.
Please bring in any pets that you can bring in, and stay warm/ safe yourself!
Thanks for reading! -The Winters
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