Chickensicles!

No, no... just kidding. Everyone has been asking after our ladies, so I thought I would post an update.

It's been cold here, of late. Very, very, VERY cold. Last week was the sort of cold (at least 2 digits below zero most of the time) that imprisons the parents of very young children, as the youngest of us don't do well even on their brief transit to and from vehicles.

Thankfully, the subzero weather was predictable, and our coop was prepared. Joe had insulated much of the building and installed a coop heater in early October. We've tried not to run it too often, but it has definitely kept the chickens healthy through our Minnesota winter.

One morning, in December, I think, there were ice crystals on the inside of the coop. That was our cue to plug in the heater. Now we know that if it's below about 10 degrees, the chicken coop heater must be activated.

Eggsicles remain a problem, though. The nesting boxes are less insulated than the rest of the coop, and on the ultra cold days, the eggs don't all make it.

Also, two of our chickens (I'm not naming any names, but I have a guess), refuse to lay when the weather is that cold. All last week we gathered 2 or 3 eggs a day. When the weather resumed a human temperature range yesterday (woohoo for 18 degrees above!), we were once again gifted 5 eggs from our 5 grateful ladies.

I wonder if our cooped up ladies are already fantasizing about spring as much as I am?