More snow and everything frozen shut

Winter has been tough on my flock. The snow is so deep that Pumpkin, my little 14-pound beagle, can now climb over the fence with almost no effort. It is also so deep that I can't open the fence to the run, nor can we chisel out the coop door to shut it at night. It's almost like the chickens are on their own - not that I want it that way. I can't even put leaves down in the run so they can walk around outside.

Despite a winter storm warning and blizzard conditions, I went out with fresh food and water and the biggest little comfort a chicken can get when stuck inside: fresh cedar chips. They smell great and clean it up a little in there.

I also put up (hastily) a new string of Christmas lights as the other string had burned out. Now I can see which chickens are braving the cold and walking around the run.

Myself, I have started Vitamin D and upped my fish oil. Winter is getting the best of us all, I'm afraid.

Winter storm

Lots of snow today and a wind chill advisory saying it is going to get to -25 tonight. Took 1.5 hours to drive home. Had to shovel a path out to the coop. Had to shovel in front of the little door to the run just to get it shut. Inside, I found a frozen egg and some chickens looking at me like WTF?

Last year when it was this cold, we brought our bantam Legs inside and kept her in a 30-gallon aquarium. She loved it! Whenever we went near, she'd start talking to us, letting us know how much she was enjoying her secluded vacation spot.

She's a people chicken. I saw her writing "Wish You Were Here!" postcards to the rest of the flock.

Every time we went to check on the chickens after that, Legs would lift her leg up to alert us to her being cold. I fell for it a few times.

Unsettling

There is something very strange about coming upon a dead chicken. I've lost 3 now: Big Mama, the Brown One and Peanut. With the Brown One and Peanut, their eyes were not shut but glazed over with that second eyelid that looks gray and translucent. And their legs were straight out, their toes splayed rigidly. Even though they had each fallen over onto their sides, it seemed like they were trying to perch or grab at something. Is this a last fight for life or the natural way that a chicken dies?

We miss you, Peanut. God speed.

Blanche finally settles in

Last week, Blanche stayed out for 4 days or so. As usual, she never went anywhere. I usually found her in the pine tree directly above the run. I think she finally figured out that it's warmer in the run, with other chickens. She doesn't fly up in my face to try to escape now. She does look the worse for wear - disheveled and unkempt as far as chicken appearances go. But at least she's with the rest of the flock and is trying to blend.

Today I understand

Yesterday was so cold that we didn't open the coop door to let the chickens outside. Today, we could. But despite adding fresh cedar chips, there is no denying that the coop stinks.

Whenever I mentioned that we were thinking of getting chickens, people raised with them would object. "They stink." "Why would you want them?" "They're stupid and smelly." The only person who ever seemed to like chickens was my friend Pat. When I gave her some eggs, she told me good memories of coming home from school and collecting and washing eggs.

I figured that people who were raised with chickens probably had 200 chickens. Then there would be no way to manage the smell and the smell is horendous.

Now, I get it. Of course, I still love having chickens. But WHEW, the smell!

RIP Peanut

I found our little Peanut dead today. I don't know what happened. I do know her comb and waddle were getting lighter and lighter, bleaching more and more. I think that's a sign of aging. I am sure Red will miss her, as do we.

Blanche AWOL again

My husband didn't believe me when I was telling friends how Blanche flies in my face or zips out the door every time I visit the coop. "How hard can it be to keep a chicken in?" he thought.

Yesterday, he learned otherwise. He literally was kicking at her to keep her inside, yet she prevailed. She has been outside for 1.5 days. I found her nesting in the pine tree above the run, I found her walking along the back of the run, I found her walking along the front of the run. Why not just be inside?

A few neighbor kids have rounded her back up for me. But I give up. I just can't keep her inside anymore. Every day, she looks a little more beat up and haggard, but it's her choice. It's like a homeless person who is happier living on the streets than anywhere else. Sometimes you just have to let it be.