One of our traditions on Instagram was to do “chicken run” videos to bluegrass music…so I wanted to carry it on over here too! This little morning ritual never gets old…and every day is different. A new chicken might make their way to the front of the line to get first dibs at the bugs…and the next day she might decide to sleep in and groggily wander out last.
We normally let them out around 8:30-9am in the winter months (7-7:30am in the summer)…and if we wait a little too long, they let us know by creating extra drama on the exit. :-) They spend the entire day free-ranging and foraging our property. They have their favorite dust bath spots, their favorite afternoon nap spots…it’s funny to watch their patterns develop.
Now that it’s getting cold…they won’t wander so far from the barn. They will generally still come out if it’s not actively raining or snowing, but we have a high percentage of diva birds, so it’s hard to tell what will happen on any given day! When we get into January/February and it’s reaches sub-zero temps…we don’t let them out (to protect them from frost bite). There are quite a few challenges and adjustments we have to make to keep them comfortable.
We like to use essential oils in their water to keep their immune systems functioning well…I have an “Oils on the Farm” webinar in my archives if you want to hear more about that!
Let’s just say raising birds is a bit more “intense” (I like to use this word instead of “hard”) in the winter months…but it builds character and makes you even more thankful when those warmer temps come back in the spring!
