eggs

Pictured here on the right is the first egg (hollow, courtesy of Hubby) On the left the most recent egg. Oh how our little ones grow.

Only the Naked necks are laying these days some days there are no eggs, but usually 1 and occasionally 2 daily. Shelly, being the smallest, I am sure is using all her energy just to keep warm. But I am not sure why Jane Doe and Tweety have stopped.

I won't worry, spring is around the corner.

If I keep telling myself that, I just may start believing.

Sleeping arrangements

When it first got cold, the 5 hens would line up along the top roost - keeping each other warm. But now . . .

Daffodil & Mina take the roost - in direct line of the heater. Usually Tweety is also there - but on the opposite side, below the air vent. I have tried to put another girl on the roost next to them, but unless invited by them, the 2 naked necks push the party crasher off.



Jane Doe sleeps in one of the nest boxes she has no preference between the two. She doesn't always bother scratching out a spot in the straw
and hangs over the edge.












And poor Shelly. She is the smallest and spends her nights on the coop floor. Sometimes she is right under Jane in the next box, but sometimes under a part of the roost - at least she is smart enough not to sleep directly under another hen.

January

It is in the single digits these days - wavering on either side of zero. I am just happy not to have chickensicles.

This morning is was -13. I got the ladies fresh water, food, corn scratch and 6 clementines, halved (the children had not eaten them so . . ) Switched off the coop heat, turned on the annex heat lamp and went inside.

I didn't leave the house again.

Hubby checks them periodically. The male need to visit the garage is strong. Sometimes I think they just want to make sure no one messed with their stuff. I moved a screwdriver to see if he would notice. He didn't say anything, but I am sure it is back in its proper place.

Last night I hung a thick wool throw over the front of the coop to help keep the temp up as outside it falls and falls and falls.