The poultry occupants of the Wild West coops voiced their disapproval of the frigid temperature this morning. The weather service reports our low at 32 degrees but that is for central Auburn. We are farther out and seem to have our own little microclimate here at the Buck ‘n Run Ranch. We have frost every morning and frozen waterers and troughs. This morning was particularly bitter cold with a breeze to help it seem even colder. I broke up the ice in the waterers with a broomstick only to have it freeze over again.
The Wild West chickens decided that the best thing to do was huddle in corners.
The blue Isbars, all eleven of them huddled near the broody coop. Bjorn stood guard over them as always the protector. Yesterday I heard a ruckus from that yard and looked out to see a Cooper’s hawk flying off from the top of the coop after trying to gain entrance. Bjorn was frantically rounding up the flock and moving them inside the coop to safety. I am more pleased each day with his maturation into flock leader. He seems to have all the good qualities you look for in a rooster.
From the opposite yard.
The crested Cream Legbars sought shelter in their own corner, safe from the big girls who love to torment them.
My older rooster Reginald is just starting to crow. I have high hope for him as a flock master on his side of the fence. Both Reginald and Bjorn will have a younger sidekick in the form of Benny on the Isbar side and Mike on the Legbar side.
The layer girls chose a corner up by the house to huddle from the cold.
Lukka and her Barnevelder babies chose a corner by the broody coop. I would like to let them in there but the eight Isbar juveniles take it over every time I open the door and Lukka and the babies have to stay out in the cold.
But the smartest of the group, in my opinion, are Raven and Skye for using the time to lay their eggs, snuggled in the same nest box for warmth.
For the record, and so no one calls the SPCA on us, there are plenty of other nestboxes one of them could have used!
Stevie Taylor says
Love the pics. I always wondered why it is called a "flock" of chickens and not a "huddle" since that is what they really do!
Stevie @ ruffledfeathersandspilledmilk.com