Chooks in snow

As a rule the chooks do not like the snow.  (In New Zealand and Australia we call chickens: chooks and as I am a New Zealander living in America these little words from home are a comfort so bear with me).  My chooks are free range  so they can go outside and get lots of sunlight in the daytime but the pigs Tima and Tane are also free range. So to make sure the pigs do not eat the chicken’s food I feed the chickens on top of the piglets hut as a raised feeding table out in the field. Also this encourages them to come out into the daylight to eat.

It is cold, but if they are not cossetted, the chickens do very well in the cold.  Coming out of an heated area into the cold area is harder for an animal or bird to manage than coming out of the cold into the cold. This is true for humans too so be careful of over heated houses. Icy drafts, wet blowing cold – that is what can harm an animals health.  Drafts are the enemy and icy air running over their combs can give chickens frostbite. As we know from that bad year.   Compared to the winter of 2014 we have had such a mild few months so all the chooks are still fat and happy.

BooBoo loves his chickens. He is so much more reliable now than when he was little. It took some training. I have a theory that it is the fluttering and squawking and jerky runs that made him snap at them when he was younger. He thought it was his job to shut them up. Though to be fair he only ever killed one chicken  by mistake and then it was those little ducks that he thought were running away and he picked them up and carried them home.  But it needed attention.  So with him on his leash I did a lot of training in the chook house in amongst the screeching and carrying on. Every time he even looked sideways at a chicken (or a peacock or a guinea) the leash was jerked sharply and he was reminded to behave.  It did not take him too long to get used to their noise and remember to keep his mouth to himself around his feathered friends.

I am still careful though. His behaviour is my responsibility as a dog owner. So he is monitored. Do you remember when he saved the chicken and killed the Mink?.  Ever since then when we check and lock up the chickens at night he does a total and very thorough patrol, sniffing into every corner looking for more Bastard Mink. But we have not seen them for a long, long time now thank goodness. Touch wood everyone!

TonTon is very different – he will not enter the chook house at all. He has no interest in them. He spends most of his time guarding his pigs.

Anyway the chickens will come out for their dinner after a bit of grizzling about the bloody snow.

Do you see the big butterfly in this shot. There is a close up below. It is not a butterfly or superman it is a chicken flying OVER the snow to get back into the coop. She does not want her feet to get wet – poor wee luvvy.

Many of them did that! Made me laugh. They really are not impressed with snow.

The kunekunes pay no attention to the snow. It was warmer yesterday – 18F (-7C) no wind. Balmy!

Here are two shots of the cows watching the world go by.

They are nice and settled at the moment. Everyone knows where they are meant to be and are happy. (Touch some more wood. )

I hope you have a lovely day.

Your friend on the farm,

celi