Caring for chickens in the Spring time.
We’re all delighted to welcome Spring, but does your flock require special attention as the warmer weather and longer evenings begin to arrive?
Caring for chickens in extreme climatic conditions, such as hot summers and cold winters, can pose significant challenges.
However, the gentler days of Spring
can also present certain challenges that we must handle cautiously.
Here are five things to keep in mind as the days begin to warm up:
1. Watch out for increased pollen counts.
2. Be mindful of the potential for more outdoor allergens.
3. Stay hydrated as temperatures rise.
4. Prepare for changes in weather patterns, such as more frequent thunderstorms.
5. Enjoy the warmer weather, but don’t forget to protect yourself from the sun’s harmful UV rays.
By being aware of these five points, you can make the most of the warmer weather while also staying healthy and safe.
1. Protect against predators.
Spring, primarily, is a season for predators, a time when they nurture and raise their young.
This indicates that they are more prone than ever before to seeking nourishment, with poultry often being their preferred choice.
During this season, foxes are renowned for their fearless hunting antics, even amidst the hustle and bustle of urban landscapes. Concurrently, members of the weasel clan embark on their breeding cycle.
These small mammals, such as mink, stoats, and pine martens, may not hunt chickens for sustenance; rather, they tend to kill for amusement. However, they do have a penchant for eggs and small rodents.
Certainly, mice, rats, or eggs abandoned in nesting boxes act as magnets for predators, drawing them inexorably towards your chickens. It is inevitable that you will witness these predators attempting to gain proximity to your flock.
During their stay, they will not hesitate to take down a couple of chickens along the way. The thrill of the hunt and the kill itself is what they find enjoyable, it’s their source of excitement and amusement.
As Spring looms on the horizon, safeguarding your flock becomes paramount. Ensuring that your coop and its perimeter are predator-proof is your initial priority. Consider the predators that frequent your locale and devise strategies to thwart their attempts at an effortless meal.
Do they prefer climbing or digging? Are they capable of unlocking latches? (Raccoons excel at this task.) Can they squeeze their way through narrow spaces?
Now, carefully inspect your coop area, paying close attention to every detail. Think like a predator and safeguard your flock’s home with the utmost vigilance, treating it as though it were Fort Knox.
2. Hunt down those red mite.
With the arrival of warmer weather and longer daylight hours, caring for your flock becomes a breeze. Worries about keeping them warm fade away, and they can forage freely with ease. Laying hens, too, are back in action, producing those mouth-watering eggs.
However, it occasionally welcomes unwanted visitors, such as the pesky red mite.
These pesky little creatures possess remarkable resilience, enduring even the harshest winters. As soon as the weather starts to warm up, they commence their breeding cycle with utmost fervor.
Wild birds often introduce them to the coop, where they linger in search of grain and other food as Spring approaches. After all, they are also planning to raise their own babies!
Bear in mind, refrain from leaving grain exposed outdoors, lest it draw the attention of wild birds, carriers of the potentially deadly Avian Influenza.
To ensure the safety of your chickens, it is crucial to store the feed in a securely sealed container and dispense it through a feeder that is resistant to birds and rats.
It is quite possible that you are dealing with an infestation.
It’s crucial to exercise restraint over them, given their blood-sucking nature. Failure to do so can result in chickens developing anaemia, which can lead to severe illness in a matter of moments.
Be vigilant for the presence of red mites in your chicken coop. Observe if your hens exhibit reluctance in roosting, clustering together with ruffled feathers, or appearing lethargic with pale combs.
3. Beware the broody hen!
Spring has arrived, a season where hens’ minds are focused on incubating their chicks.
Spring has arrived, a season where hens’ minds are focused on incubating their chicks.
However, if one is not particularly interested, it can become quite a headache. Eggs go astray, and the hen will make every effort to conceal herself from the world. She’ll be resistant to consuming food or water, and any attempt to relocate her from the nest will provoke a tantrum unparalleled in its fury.
There exist numerous articles detailing methods to “break” a broody hen, yet I personally strive to accomplish this task with utmost gentleness.
Initially, I delicately remove the eggs beneath her, ensuring prompt collection to prevent her from accumulating any more.
Not everything goes according to plan. I’ve encountered a hen that sat on up to 24 eggs at once.
If you encounter a situation where your broody hen, influenced by the hormonal changes brought by Spring, stubbornly insists on sitting on the nest and refusing to leave, and you firmly oppose the idea of having more chicks, you may need to consider isolating her as a last resort.
How might one approach this? Consider perusing this article, which delves deeply into the optimal timing and methods for isolating a hen, minimizing any potential adverse consequences.
Eager to witness the demeanor of a hen who refuses to be alone during her broodiness? Behold the footage of Miss Matilda, a prime example of my flock’s most resolute broody chickens.
The challenge lies in the fact that she’s a Wyandotte, a breed not renowned for its broodiness. As expected of her lineage, she’ll patiently incubate eggs for a day or two, but soon enough, boredom takes over, and she deserts them.
While it may sound harsh, please refrain from worrying about her. She settled down quickly. On this occasion, it only took a day of isolation to convince her that caring for chicks should be postponed for the meantime.
4. Don’t get complacent – watch out for cold snaps.
These days, weather patterns can be highly unpredictable, with a balmy April day giving way to hailstones and snow showers without warning.
So, stay alert. Bear in mind that if the weather unexpectedly turns chilly, your primary responsibility will be to guarantee that your flock has access to unfrozen water and that the coop remains draught-free.
This article aims to assist you in selecting an appropriate watering system for your chicks, and the principles discussed can also be applied to adult chickens.
Rest assured, your chickens will maintain their warmth without the need for additional heat lamps in their coop. The lamps, despite their potential to spark fires, are not truly essential, even during severe weather conditions.
If you’re aiming to enhance the warmth within your chicken coop, or if you have young chicks in your brooder and fear that the outdoors is still too chilly for them, consider exploring this heat source. Personally, I’ve always relied on it, and it’s entirely harmless.
5. Look forward to the patter of tiny feet!
Many people, myself included, associate the arrival of spring with chickens hatching. There’s just something irresistible about those adorable, fluffy chicks.
The incubation and hatching process is truly gaining momentum at this time. Fertility reaches its peak during the Spring, and with the arrival of lighter nights and warmer temperatures, the hens are expected to resume their full production capacity.
Do you find yourself pondering over the possibility of taking on this challenge? Perchance, you’re uncertain about the logistics behind nurturing those fertile eggs and tender chicks?
So there you have it!
In the Spring, shepherding your flock becomes a breeze compared to other seasons. The weather turns warmer, allowing your flock to merrily forage for food and indulge in their natural instincts. The air is filled with the delightful patter of baby chicks’ feet, adding a touch of joy to the season.
This is an exceptional moment to embrace the joys of chicken farming.
