It’s been a long, rough winter for me, and I’m pretty confident my chickens feel the same. Because of all the snow, their run has been diminished to a small patch of freedom in front of the coop. On cold days, they stay nestled inside, and can’t be bothered with the outdoors, save for a few small moments of kicking around for some scraps in the morning. Their sleeping habits are all messed up. We find them sleeping in the nesting boxes, which are metal and cold, rather than on the roost. My husband thinks it’s due to a draft that appears to be blowing in the lath shutters he designed. If I know my husband, he’s already planning a way to provide R4 value insulation to keep his ladies warm. They’ve still been producing eggs, though not as frequent. We’re down to about 4-5 a day versus eight. Last year, we used a light to trick them into thinking it was spring, so they would produce at their regular pace. My husband didn’t want to stress them, so he gave them a break from the lamp this year.
Yesterday was near 50 degrees and we were all happy chickens. It was nice to see the girls venture outside and play in the dirt. They must be staring at that wall of white stuff that leads to their big run and wondering if it will ever go back to the way it was: lush green grass and warm, sunny days. I know I’m very much looking forward to seeing the grass again. I just can’t wait till I can make my way to the coop without slipping and sliding on the icy, narrow path. Feels like we have miles to go...