Cold Weather Storm. Anyone Experience This Yet?

[Maverick]

We have too many predators to really let them out at all (unless I wanted to keep replacing chickens). But we do have a decent sized coop...and I try to get them treats like mealworms, etc. often.

Our dogs the 3 rotties keep a good eye on them the airborne predators is an issue though

 

[user 7704]

Yep, I get up anywhere from 5:30am to 6am (depending on how groggy I am) and go out to drop feed and hay for the horses....then feed and water the bunnies and the chickens. About 6:45, time to turn the horses out into the pasture (10 of them, in 3 different pastures). My wife is feeding the inside animals while I do this (and women just take longer to get all work-ready anyhow).

Then, around 7:15am, I drive us both to work (about an hour and 15 min drive). I work until 5pm, she works until 6pm. We then drive home (about an hour and a half).

So, once home at 7:30pm, I go out and (muck our stalls if needed), bring in the horses, and then do their pm feed and hay (fill water buckets, etc.). Meanwhile, she's feeding the inside animals and cooking dinner, unless it's a night I'm cooking.

By the time we sit down to dinner, and a little TV, it's about 8:30pm or so. We watch a show or two while eating, generally pausing at a point for us to clean up dishes, etc., then sleep and do it all over again.

It's why we live for the weekends though, and try and have fun then.

But all of the above, has really SUCKED to do in freezing temperatures, let me tell ya...(though sure I don't need to). Especially filling water buckets....

Dang man, you win. No matter how big an ass my husband has been, I haven't had to work outside the home since we had children. In their younger years, when we found out about my son, we had to drive to Nashville 25 miles 3 times a week for speech and OT for my son.

Then my daughter was accepted into a school for gifted kids which was a 100 mile per day drive for 11 years. I couldn't work and do those things without total exhaustion.

I admire you and your wife for your stamina. I'm too old to do all that. Plus, technology has totally passed me by.

 

[user 7704]

Our dogs the 3 rotties keep a good eye on them the airborne predators is an issue though

I put nylon deer netting over the entire run. I've had a hawk try to dive in and it stopped it.

 

[Mountain trapper]

I put nylon deer netting over the entire run. I've had a hawk try to dive in and it stopped it.

Because of the snow I can't use netting over our chicken run. Instead I run wire (like electric fence wire) back and forth about a foot apart. It's never let a hawk or owl in yet, and it keeps the chickens from flying out too. Normally the chickens run loose, but if we're going be gone for awhile we lock them in their run.

 

[Mountain trapper]

.

 

[user 7704]

I run wire zig zag then put the deer netting on top of it. One time! We had a lot of snow (for us) and in ad Lots of repair to to do. I have been told to tie something colorful to the wire to deter them.

 

[user 7704]

We're aving a heat wave. I got 6 eggs instead of two. Lol.

 

[Maverick]

I run wire zig zag then put the deer netting on top of it. One time! We had a lot of snow (for us) and in ad Lots of repair to to do. I have been told to tie something colorful to the wire to deter them.

My issue is my chickens are free ranging, with the amount of snow we can get here the nets are practically useless unless it’s a small pen/run but if that’s a case weaved chicken wire or welded wire mesh is just as affective for the top of the pen and perhaps more robust in either case the snow will collapse it.