chickens in cold weather

A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara

Texas has had unusually cold weather during the past week. Those up North may find this hard to believe but 20 degrees is very, very cold to a Texan. I don’t think it got below freezing at all last winter, and we’ve already had too many days in that category this year.

This morning was the coldest it has been in 30 years – 15 degrees. Give us 100+ degrees any day.

Cold temperatures present unique challenges on Miller Farm. For example, the chicken waterers freeze. The first year this happened, I tried kicking the base to dislodge the ice. I only succeeded in cracking the base. I have learned a more effective way to handle the ice is to pour hot water over it.

I’ve had to do that multiple times a day for the past week. It is not fun.

Last night I forgot to take a flashlight when I closed the chickens. Back inside where it was warm I remembered I hadn’t checked eggs since lunch but figured they would be fine under the chickens. That works fine as long as the chicken actually sleeps on the eggs. One of the Welsummer eggs was left out in the cold.

It froze.

It is sunny and a balmy 32 degrees outside right now. I’ve already checked eggs twice.

I’ve eaten eggs poached, scrambled, fried, and boiled but frozen eggs … not interested.