warm wishes on a very cold weekend ahead!

[angelat]

hi all

wishing all of us and our feathered friends a safe weekend what with the cold snap coming and for most of us snow. have just added more bed down bedding to the coop in a hope to cushion the minus degrees drop in temperature.

poor jenny is moulting (what a time to start).
x

[Nicos]

Thank you...we're forecast snow for Sunday- so we'll see what that brings!

I've just been putting down extra shavings too- and put warm water in their already frozen indoor water! ( tis actually an old pig-sty so there's room for it). Half the birds jumped down off their perches for a drink- so I'm glad I did it!
I thought my Light Sussex was going broody. Dark outside and she was screeching in the box- so I gently lifted her out to put her on a perch- and an egg dropped out!...ooops! Glad I caught it!

Poor Jenny- I bet she'll regret it. Does she moult badly?

[angelat]

i have been putting warm water in their already frozen water as well!

Jenny is the rescue hen i adopted last september so i have only had her for 5 months so have never seen her moult. my other one moulted quite hard so it will be interesting to see how it goes for jenny although she has been losing feathers quickly so hope she recovers as quick. interesting thing is though the old pecking order changes i find with the moulting. the one on the moult feels inferior i think and the others feel full of themselves!! mind you jenny gave miranda a hard time when she was moulting so maybe its pay back time!!

[RichmondHens]

I love the snow but hate having to defrost everything. No snow here yet (forecast for tomorrow evening) but bitterly cold. The ground is solid as a rock and has been for several days. Chooks don't really mind the cold as long as they can get out of the wind. Mine have been pottering about quite happily today in the sunshine, think they might be less happy once the white stuff appears though!

[pauco]

Wishing all your feathered friends a warm cosy weekend, keep safe & keep snug


paul.

[veggiechicken]

Not quite chook chat but I watched a woodpigeon this morning waddling across the frosty lawn. When he came to a sunny patch, he flopped down and stayed there in the sun for a long time. I could almost hear his delight at feeling the sun on his back.

[Jax]

I love the snow but hate having to defrost everything. No snow here yet (forecast for tomorrow evening) but bitterly cold. The ground is solid as a rock and has been for several days. Chooks don't really mind the cold as long as they can get out of the wind. Mine have been pottering about quite happily today in the sunshine, think they might be less happy once the white stuff appears though!

We have had a covering of snow with 5-10 cm predicted over the weekend.

Hope all the feathered and non feathered friends dont get too chilly over the weekend x

[petal]

Well, we are having to defrost regardless of snow- so it might as well arrive. If snow does come- it must be very deep so i cannot get to work in London, please.

[VirginVegGrower]

-5 degrees tonight! Freezing cold....poor hens!

[Suechooks]

-5 degrees tonight! Freezing cold....poor hens!

It was -7 at my allotment this morning! and tonight feels even colder.

[VirginVegGrower]

Brrrr SC...set to go -7 here tonight and snow, but nothing yet! I wish you well in Wrexham!

[julesapple]

We were at -7c this morning and it had 'warmed' up to -3 by teatime. We've been out a dozen times to break the ice on their water or pour boiling water on to it. The girls' house is lined with straw bales and they've deep straw in their nest-tyres (some sleep inside them, others use the perches although there are enough perches for all) I'll make them a hot bread & Horlicks mash for breakfast in the morning to get them started.

One of ours broke a claw this evening - blood everywhere. It bled for ages but she's ok now. I'll be watching it carefully for a few days though as we can't seal the broken end and it'll be open to infection. Is there anything you can use to seal claw injuries?

Jules

[polo]

Jules - maybe slather it in vaseline or sudocrem to stop muck getting in? At least everything is frozen so less mud around!

I'm glad I ordered the layers pellets as I'm almost out and with the snow forecast I was concerned I wouldnt get to the feed place - very unhappy chooks! Will be there first thing in the morning before the snow arrives.

[binley100]

Is there anything you can use to seal claw injuries?

Jules

Not sure if it would work the same but when the Dallies used to split the end of their tails open we used to dip them in Friars balsam .........

[veggiechicken]

Dallies????? Dalmations, Dahlias, Puzzled??