One of the things my wife Liz and I enjoy about keeping chickens is that our coop and pen are visible from the house. They’re located 100 feet or more behind our home, but there’s a straight line of sight from a back window to the poultry palace.
Except, that is, when it snows heavily, and repeatedly, over a short period of time.
So much snow fell here in central Maine in the span of a week or so this month that the area between the house and the coop was buried in it. Once the snow stopped falling a few days back, the only portion of the coop that we could see from the house was the top of its peaked roof. Everything else, including the pen that abuts the front of the coop, was completely invisible.
The hens were in no danger. I always keep the area around the coop and the pen free of snow, so we can feed and care for our three chickens, and that was the case this time as well. But from the house, the mountain of snow between the back door and the coop made it look as if “the girls” had been buried by an avalanche. A recent spate of warm weather shrunk the snowpack somewhat, but not enough to make a meaningful difference.
Yesterday, I finally decided enough was enough. Grabbing a shovel, I headed out back and cleared much of the snow between house and pen. It was exhausting, but the end result made it all worthwhile. We once again have a clear view of Snow, Nellie and Hope when they’re outside in the pen, which allows us to enjoy their antics from the comfort of the house.
I noticed this morning that all three hens were standing at the front of the pen, looking out toward the back of the house, which they could now see for the first time in more than a week. So the vista I created yesterday proved to be a two-way street. Not only can we keep an eye on the hens, but they once again have a better view of their surroundings as well, instead of being closed in by a wall of white.
Except, that is, when it snows heavily, and repeatedly, over a short period of time.
So much snow fell here in central Maine in the span of a week or so this month that the area between the house and the coop was buried in it. Once the snow stopped falling a few days back, the only portion of the coop that we could see from the house was the top of its peaked roof. Everything else, including the pen that abuts the front of the coop, was completely invisible.
The hens were in no danger. I always keep the area around the coop and the pen free of snow, so we can feed and care for our three chickens, and that was the case this time as well. But from the house, the mountain of snow between the back door and the coop made it look as if “the girls” had been buried by an avalanche. A recent spate of warm weather shrunk the snowpack somewhat, but not enough to make a meaningful difference.
Yesterday, I finally decided enough was enough. Grabbing a shovel, I headed out back and cleared much of the snow between house and pen. It was exhausting, but the end result made it all worthwhile. We once again have a clear view of Snow, Nellie and Hope when they’re outside in the pen, which allows us to enjoy their antics from the comfort of the house.
I noticed this morning that all three hens were standing at the front of the pen, looking out toward the back of the house, which they could now see for the first time in more than a week. So the vista I created yesterday proved to be a two-way street. Not only can we keep an eye on the hens, but they once again have a better view of their surroundings as well, instead of being closed in by a wall of white.
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