Chicken Check-In with Frosty Beaks

Hello! I hope everyone is handling this frigid weather in a warm, cozy place around friendly faces. With all the school closings because of the snow and North Pole type weather, my own family has been getting quite "chummy" being in each other's space since it's been too chilly to go outside. My kids have been moody and annoying each other (and me, haha), so I brought out my 1,000 piece Christmas puzzle. We've been working diligently on it all week. It's amazing how much puzzle a family can get done when everyone has a bit of cabin fever.

Although it's been too cold to spend too much time outside, that never stops any farmer from getting their chores done. I've been bundling up several times a day to check on my feathered flock, and they are doing great!

It always amazes me that animals can survive in below zero temperatures, but the chickens have continued laying eggs and surviving even with their frosty beaks. Every morning when I feed them their breakfast, all 5o of them come to enthusiastically greet me. Food is the key to their winter survival, and they greatly appreciate their breakfast and dinner treats. They get unlimited corn and sunflower seeds this winter!

My rain barrel and chicken watering station is on "holiday" this time of year.

Restocking the chicken water chore is the main thing I can't stand to do in the winter time. My husband and I haven't figured out a great way of keeping the chicken water from freezing November through March. Our rain barrel can function in the winter when wrapped with electric warming tape, but we haven't found a good way to keep the small chicken water bowls from freezing once the water comes out of the PVC pipe. So, the rain barrel cannot be used for our water supply this time of year.

My winter watering station with the heating disc underneath the water jug. I put a TON of straw inside the coop in the winter to provide an extra layer on insulation between little chicken feet and the frozen ground.

Instead of relying on melting snow to water my girls, I have a five gallon water jug that I carry from my house to the coop almost every day. Let me tell you, carrying five gallons of water at a time in the snow and ice is HARD. My winter chicken waterer is placed on a heating disc, which keeps the water from freezing. Because the heating disc keeps the water warmer than the frigid winter air, five gallons of water quickly evaporates within a day and a half of sitting inside the coop.

If any of my readers have chickens and have a better way of handling the winter water, I would greatly love to hear any other ideas!!!

After the raccoon attack before Christmas, I've kept the small chicken door closed to prevent that criminal or any other hungry predator from breaking and entering the coop. I've never closed the chicken door before, and I feel a little guilty about it. My free ranging girls peck at the small chicken door all day long, desperately trying to get out of the coop. I hear them rage and complain about being trapped in a "cage" with their loud, pitiful squawks. But, with ten inches of snow on the ground and gusty wind, I know my girls wouldn't be going outside much anyway.

Since I've never locked the chickens inside the coop before, I've been surprised at how well my three roosters are handling their imprisonment. They aren't going stir crazy like their lady friends and haven't attacked me with all their pent up energy. After having chickens for six years, I FINALLY have three award winning baby daddies! Whenever I open the human door to the coop, Maui (alpha rooster ) and Floppy (second alpha rooster) come to greet me first. I think Maui really loves me like I'm another hen, and Floppy tolerates me because I always have food. Skipper is my timid rooster who is always at the back of the coop, far away from Maui and Floppy who likes to put him in his place when he gets too friendly with their ladies.

As soon as the weather warms up a bit, I'll reopen the chicken door so the chickens can enjoy the sunshine, and hopefully, lay more eggs. I'll probably start working on my next flock of chicks sometime in February, especially since I had so many predators eating my chickens this past fall....it's time to grow the Squawk Flock again!

Thanks for reading my Country Squawk,

Kelly

P.S. Kelly's Writing Resolution for 2026: Try writing an early reader chapter book for the kids who are starting to read books that are longer than picture books. I'm trying to get inspired and ready to write by reading, reading, reading everything that my library has for kids ages 8-12.