A Blog by Chicken Wrangler Sara
This week has been quite pleasant here in Texas. Last week was not. We had the second snow storm of the season followed by ice. An event that had not happened in many decades.
We were warned and people took great pains to protect their chickens. I was not one of those people.
I do care about my chickens but wasn’t willing to enclose the coop, put a heater in it or bring the flock inside. I told them it would be cold and encouraged them to huddle up when the coop had icicles.
During the coldest days, I went out several times to make sure they had food and water. It was cold enough that their water froze solid so I would pour hot water over it to thaw enough for them to drink. A few hours later, it would be frozen again.
I tried to cover some of the duck pen when it started sleeting. I used a big blue tarp which apparently was terrifying to the ducks. They would not go near that corner of the pen. I finally went back out in the sleet and took it down. The ducks were much happier. As soon as the duck pond started to thaw, the got in and swam around the chunks of ice. Silly ducks!
I learned that the hoe I use for weeding works great for removing ice when I cleared a path across the back porch. I was determined not to fall on my multiple trips to the chicken yard.
I am happy to report that I did not fall a single time.
And we did not lose any chickens or ducks.
I’m hoping that means we passed the test and do not have to repeat that experience ever again.
I’ll take the Texas summers over these crazy winter storms any day.
I have never seen another one like it at all the music conventions I have been to through the years.
Now my sweater stays buttoned, and I am not fighting the shoulder pads.
