Last week I talked about the bleak mid-winter. Here is our place
covered with snow. In the far left of this photo you'll see a vague outline of
a long, brown building. That is the home of our chickens.
Their home
is a combination of hen house and shed. For a creature that began its life on
planet earth in the jungles of South-east Asia, chickens are extraordinarily
adaptable. They now live in high mountain valleys, dry deserts, and the middle
of cities. However, they must be cared for at this time of year, and they must
be protected from predators year-round.
On the left,
is a smaller building, the hen house. Our chickens roost there at night, and
return to the nesting boxes to lay their eggs during the day. We had this hen
house on our previous property and moved it when we moved. It is perfectly
adapted for chickens.
Our hen house
has two sources of heat: an oil-filled radiator, and a hanging heat lamp. These
keep the temperature at least above freezing during the nights.
On the
right, is a long shed that already existed when we moved here. It had
probably been a calving barn for the dairy cows who lived here in the
1930-1960s, and also provided shelter for sheep. Remarkably, it is completely
encased in wire, making it very secure. Chickens can't leave unless we leave
the door open, and predators, such a coyotes, can't get to the chickens –
again, unless we leave the door open.
The shed,
where our chickens spend most of their day, has only solar heat. It also has a
small metal trough in one corner for free-flowing
water from our artesian well. This water is about 50 degrees, so it doesn't
freeze as long as it runs. Thus, our chickens always have fresh water.
Chickens
love to eat seeds, insects, grains, grass, and weeds such as Kosha. The sheds are
clearly surrounded by snow right now, so chickens don't have access to their
favorite treats. They must be fed every day.
As you may
have noticed, our chickens don't go walking across the snow.
Occasionally,
they make an attempt to seek out green pastures, as this white and red chicken did.
These two
chickens returned, but they crossed to the door of the shed on old pieces of
lumber, balancing like kids crossing a dangerous bridge because they didn't
want to step into the snow all around them.
So chickens
can survive our winters with help, but they lay fewer eggs. Whether because of
the shorter days or the cold, we don't know.
As I said,
chickens have managed to spread all across the globe. But … does anyone know if
there are chickens in Antarctica?
