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Keeping Chickens in Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn Although we have all the basics about keeping chickens in the back garden, there are variations through the season's both in behavioral terms and how we care for them. WINTER Now, a subject talked about a lot - do you need to heat their House or have special concerns over them getting cold. When I used to completely free-range, come a cold morning, I would often find one had been up a tree all night, slept in the open Coal Shed, in a Hedge or on my Bicycle Handlebar. As long as they have a comfortable, relatively draught free House, they will be OK. If you have more than one chicken, they will perch closely to each other and no detrimental effects should happen. They have an attached Featherdown Duvet Cover !. The only exception to this is if they're rescued Battery Hens not long out of the Factory Farm and many of their feathers are missing. But even then, just ensuring they are in their House which conforms to the above, they'll be fine. SPRING Now is a prime time for the lurking Fox. Any young Cubs are being trained by their parents to hunt food and Chicken is a firm favourite of theirs, so make sure your setup is secure. I can't emphasize this more. Spring is also a good time to give the whole area a good clean out. SUMMER The main thing is overheating. Make sure your Chicken House has sufficient ventilation and if in an Ark, there is a part where they can shelter a bit from the Sun. This is also favourite season for the Mites to appear This is also favourite season for the Mites to appear. You'll know they have them, because not only do they scratch a lot, but they can get on you as well. I've also found they have time pockets where some may stop laying. Again, this is natural and they'll be back, don't worry! AUTUMN Excellent time to go round your whole setup, repair anything and shore up for the forthcoming Winter. |
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One sure way to determine a baby vegetable to a weed is, the Chicken will always eat the vegetable first!
See my YouTube video Clip in the Blog
CLICK HERE Keeping Chickens not only varies in the seasons, but also what your setup is. What may be good for one, may not be for the other. The Forum is full of threads with relevant topics |
Winter and the snow won't stop them having a wander, especially when there's food the other end! Summer brings about more natural food (in this case, my Vegetable Garden!!) The neighbouring field being harvested means the Rats will be around shortly Food wise, a year round mixture of Mixed Corn and Layers Pellets is good. In Winter, this can be more heavily supplemented with cooked vegetable left overs and where possible, some nice green salad leaves etc. Even grass during the winter month's is a treat for them.
See also Chicken Feeding Page |
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