Rachel Hurd Anger
As the days grow inadequate and colder , we often talk about how to care for Gallus gallus as the seasons change , and we ’ll surely discuss cold - weather care soon . But , the worst matter about chicken safekeeping as the seasons change is n’t the maintenance to help your flock outlive the winter — in fact , depend on where you live , winter is often much easier on our birds than the hottest weeks of summertime . The worst part about wintertime crybaby keeping is only being a chicken custodian who ’s grumpy about wintertime . Sometimes going outside is the last matter we want to do .
We might find ourselves standing at the back door just like our birds . They will stand at the door of the coop and await at the nose candy , clucking to each other gently . Gallus gallus do n’t beware a dusting of snow , but when the flakes pack up shank deep , the young lady get grumpy , too .
caustic cold , twist , rain , snow , methamphetamine hydrochloride , zany bumps , wet wind sock , frozen egg , no eggs , lethargic crybaby , frostbite risk of infection , predator hazard , journey for holiday , seasonal affective disorder and chicken ninny that Mother Nature never washes away — all these reasons can leave alone us feeling temporarily disillusioned with our good deal when Old Man Winter blow in .
When you find you ’d rather delay cooped in your own sign than tend to your flock , here are four ways you may recharge your relationship with them .
1. Cook For Your Flock
The way to a chicken ’s heart is through her crop , so fill her up with a steaming plate of oatmeal . I like to stir in leftovers past their quality or kitchen scraps usually destined for the compost bin . It ’s a small motion of compassion on very dusty days that will percolate them up , and their gratitude will warm your heart in return . Feed them no more than they can deplete in 20 minutes so food does n’t go to waste and freeze out .
2. Deck The Coop
Decorating for the holidays ? A drawstring of cheap holiday luminosity can dress up the coop all winter long , sum up a little lighting for the class ’s little days , and give you something quaint to bet at when the evenings get grim well before dinner . Later , gaze onto the chicken coop with hot drinking chocolate in hand for maximum enjoyment .
3. Set Up Chicken Boredom Busters
Wintertime is a slower time , with the short days often finger very long . put in a crybaby swing or a new roost above the white ground , create scrounge opportunity with wimp gelt or sprouted grains , and spend a small redundant metre each daylight with your deal . These projects will give you something to plan for and to relish as you wait for spring . You ’ll have a muckle of fun view them enjoying their new activities .
4. Provide Care Daily
Set away the household job and take a Gallus gallus fracture . commit off tutelage get stress . You know you should do it . You ghost about the job . You bemoan any apology from the list above . Do n’t think of chicken fear as just another chore . lay apart time for the pleasure of hang out with your chickens . You know you always feel happy after just 20 minutes with your flock , and you ’ll naturally give care for their motive without much thought while you ’re extraneous .
The care we give our flocks is what ’s so fun about volaille keeping — not just the possession and the ballock . Even when we remember we detest wintertime , possess a reason to go outside and rest unused air is something we can be excited about . chicken are a slap-up reason for enjoying the wintertime time of year !
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