Chickens coping with the cold

[Hans Mum]

hope there ok Snadger & Sue, fingers crossed x

[lynda66]

Feck! Minus 7 already out there. How much longer is this going to go on? Thankfully I had the day off work, I had to take fresh water out to the girls three times as it kept getting crunchy.

Is there some magic ingredient to stop it freezing? Mine is already laced with cider vinegar and garlic, but it doesn't seem to be making much difference

i'm not sure if it will work, but if you have something like a bucket for water, stick a couple of tennis balls or small footballs in, it helps keep some of it unfrozen, my pond still hasn't completely froze cos the balls still bobbing about.

[Suechooks]

hope there ok Snadger & Sue, fingers crossed x

Mine has got through the night. She's not keen on eating but somehow doesn't look unwell. It's the same one who did the funny little immature eggs the other day so obviously somethings amiss. I have her at home for the moment to keep an eye on her and see what's going in and coming out as it were!!! May end up at the vet later but hoping not.

[HayleyB]

How is she Snadge?

[Snadger]

How is she Snadge?

.....................Dead!

Four of my chooks were an indeterminate age so I bought four younguns a while back just to hopefully kick in when the others snuffed it.

The one old chook that I rescued last night was still in the same place as I put her but her head wasn't upright any more and rigamortis had set in.

I think, and hopefully I'm right, she died peacefully in her sleep.

The one strange thing about this is that on the day one of the oldies died, one of the younguns has laid her first egg?

I suppose nature has a way of compensating and strangely enough I don't think I feel as bad about the old one dying because of this!
You may think I'm being mercenary in that at least the egg count will be the same.........but I assure you it isn't that! It's somehow taken the edge off the oldies death and makes you realise that animals are born and animals die and that's the way of things..........

I'm starting to waffle a bit now so I'll leave it at that!

[lynda66]

awwwwwww sorry snadger, at least she was inside and snug ..... and like you say, it's natures way, and she had a lovely life with you ........ (((((hugssssssss)))))

[Suechooks]

Sorry to hear about your chook Snadger. Not too sure mine's going to make it though she did eat earlier.

[T-lady]

Ah Snadger, sorry you've lost a chook. Your stoic way of rationalising it is a lesson to us all - but it's still horridy, however you phrase it.

Glad you've had a good piece of luck with the new layer ...

[Glutton4...]

Sorry to hear your news Snadger. I suppose it's something us 'ex-batt' owners will all have to prepare for.

[MaureenHall]

Sorry to hear about your chook Snadger. She did have a lovely life with you though

[frias]

Sorry to hear you've lost your hen Snadger. I'm sure you gave her a happy life though.
I hope yours is better Sue. These ex-batts do seem to be up and down although they are worth every bit of heartache we all go through.
I really thought I was going to lose one last month when she didn't eat or drink but now she's really looking well having got some new frilly knickers. She obviously was just moulting and taking it badly. I now have another one really off colour but I'm just hoping she will pull round and it's the moult again.
I am putting loads of newspaper on the coop floor and lots more sawdust to try and beat the cold but when I changed the paper today it was frozen.
Girls seem to enjoy warm water to drink and warm porridge gobbled up in record time.

[lizzylemon]

Sorry for your loss Snadger. It's always a sad time.

[Hans Mum]

sorry she didnt make it Snadger, but at least she had a good life with you xx

[Suechooks]

Thamks Frias - yes she is still with us. She came out of the hut this morning and headed straight for the drinker where she stayed a while so at least she shows an interest and she was gobbling up spaghetti yesterday so fingers crossed.
Re. keeping them warm - a friend gave me a roll of bubble wrap yesterday - the sort you insulate greenhouses with, so I covered one wall and the top half of the sides with it as well as carpet and plastic over the outside of the roof plus I put a straw bale inside the hut. No worries about ventilation as the roof is Onduline. They were much happier this morning (and I was cos I worry about them being on the lottie so can't check late on.)

[HayleyB]

Sorry Snadge, it sounded like her time though and she died peaceful which is all I want for my girls in the end. It's still hard though and I did shed a few tears for my Hoppy, although you know that's the problem with animals they always break your heart in the end