It has started to get pretty cold at night here, which is not quite freezing, but close. Everything I've read says that chickens are pretty adaptable and can even live in the snow. We have made the coop as warm as possible for them and they seem comfortable. I also read that in the winter chickens need food that stimulates their metabolism to produce more internal heat. So it's off to the feed store for cracked corn. We have started feeding them scratch twice a day. This helps too.
We are using chaise lounge pads on the roof of the coop to act as insulation, as well as closing off one of the sides, and two of the others during the night. The nesting box is well filled with pine shavings and I cover the outside of it at night too. This all looks crappy, but if it keep the girls warm, I'm on it.
Using a heat or light source is highly debated in the articles I've read, especially since we rarely get below freeing and have no snow. I know egg production is supposed to go down as hours of daylight decrease, and I think Barbara deserves a rest, so will probably not add a light. Still nothing from Mabel. All she has going for her are her looks and personality. No eggs.
Tomorrow morning the girls will get a visit from our friend Kate who is interested in meeting them. I am going to ask them to behave. They will do whatever they want. That is the chicken way. We will have home made scones and coffee and hope for the best.
Perhaps Barbara will even produce an egg on cue. She usually gets up, runs around and eats scratch, then heads back to the nest about 10:00am to lay her precious egg. Such a gift. Each time it is like a miracle. We still get excited over each little cocoa brown egg.
Ciao Amici.
Poor Mabel! I'm on pins and needles every day to see if that chicks lets one go! I want a
ReplyDeletet-shirt! Lay An Egg Mabel!