Preparations For Winter

Even though it sure doesn't feel like winter is getting closer here in NC, it's time to get the chicken coop and run ready for cold, wet weather.  

The new roofing we put on their "porch"gives them a nice large area that stays dry in the rain. 

The hanging buckets are their waterers.  On the bottom of each bucket are water "nipples" and when the chickens peck at them, water comes out.  It's been a great way to give them water because the water stays clean. 

I laid down pine bark mulch under their porch roof in the run to help keep things dry.  I've been really happy with how it's done.  I'll add more mulch as needed this winter.

Winter means fewer bugs to chase and eat and fewer plants to munch on.  Keeping the chickens happy and busy this winter will be important.  

We hung this head of cabbage after reading that it's a great way to keep chickens entertained.  I guess our chickens didn't read that article.  They didn't seem to know what to do with it.  

The apples hanging from strings, however, was a huge success!  They were like apple pinatas!

I stir their bedding weekly since we use the deep bedding method.  I sprinkle black oil sunflower seeds in with the bedding when I stir so the chickens scratch their bedding (looking for seeds) and help keep the pine shavings fluffy and dry.



Because the hens are staying in their run until early afternoon (so they learn to lay eggs in their nesting boxes) we had to clip their weeks a few weeks ago.  They had gotten so good at flying that they were climbing onto the coop roof, walking down the porch roof, and out of the run!

So, the kids helped me clip the older hens wings one evening.  We had to do it after dark when all of the hens were quiet and roosting.  We only clip the feathers on one wing so it makes the hen off balance when trying to fly... therefore preventing flying as high.  They can jump onto their roosts but not on the roof of the coop.  The hens feel no pain during wing clipping and Evan and Charlotte proved to be perfect chicken assistants.

We've tacked up heavy duty plastic over the large screened door and the big window of the coop so the chickens will be warm when the weather turns cold.  We've had to open the plastic a bit since the weather has gotten so warm.

Another entertainment idea that my chickens are not amused with... the chicken swing.  The chickens are supposed to hop up on the swing and in trying to balance themselves, make the swing move.  My chickens have only picked at the rope... none have tried to swing.