After
our recent deep freeze, when overnight temps
dropped below zero for days on end, I was reminded this morning that
caring for chickens can, in fact, be a pleasant experience, even in
January.
It was 29 degrees in the backyard when I headed out to the coop at dawn. I could hear Nellie and Hope, our Rhode Island Reds, bouncing around inside, eager to get out into the pen, and breakfast. They raced down the ramp as soon as I opened the door, obviously well aware that it was downright balmy outside, at least by Maine standards.
Gone are the frigid days when the hens stared at me balefully from their roost first thing in the morning, refusing to get up, and the mercury only inched its way to zero by noon. Back then, I hardly got to see "the girls" even when they finally did emerge from the coop, thanks to the tarps that blanketed the pen to provide some protection from the wind and the cold.
The pen is now open to the light and the air, so the hens were on full display this morning as they excitedly pecked away at their feed with renewed enthusiasm. Nellie and Hope were quite happy as the sky began to lighten. And that brought a smile to my face. We’ll enjoy it while we can.
It was 29 degrees in the backyard when I headed out to the coop at dawn. I could hear Nellie and Hope, our Rhode Island Reds, bouncing around inside, eager to get out into the pen, and breakfast. They raced down the ramp as soon as I opened the door, obviously well aware that it was downright balmy outside, at least by Maine standards.
Gone are the frigid days when the hens stared at me balefully from their roost first thing in the morning, refusing to get up, and the mercury only inched its way to zero by noon. Back then, I hardly got to see "the girls" even when they finally did emerge from the coop, thanks to the tarps that blanketed the pen to provide some protection from the wind and the cold.
The pen is now open to the light and the air, so the hens were on full display this morning as they excitedly pecked away at their feed with renewed enthusiasm. Nellie and Hope were quite happy as the sky began to lighten. And that brought a smile to my face. We’ll enjoy it while we can.
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