We have a pretty strict morning routine around here. I am making school lunches by 7:00. I get the school girls up by 7:20 and the homeschooling boys by 7:40. The girls eat first and then get ready for school while the boys eat and unload dishwashers. The boys should then be ready for outside chores while the girls and I head to the bus stop at 8:00. The boys' primary morning chores are feeding and watering the goats, chickens and barn cats. The goal is for the boys to be back in and ready to start school by 9:00. Several times the last two weeks, I have looked out the window to see James heading to the house with a lethargic chicken. The first one just seemed cold and perked up when placed in a Rubbermaid by the fire. The second one died in the Rubbermaid by the fire. That day, I drove to town and bought two heat lights for the chicken coop in spite of the fact that it really isn't that cold for animals that are housed in a nicer home than lots of people in third world countries live in. In spite of my purchase, we have lost about four more chickens. This morning James brought in our Silkie rooster; I really can't remember how old he is. He has been very content in his box by the fire all day - in fact, none of the chickens ever seem to want out. They enjoy the attention, food, water and warmth I guess.
Honestly, I am just wondering if we are just losing chickens that are getting old. I have had chickens for about six years now and we never get rid of them, so I guess they have to die of old age at some point. ( We have lost many, many over the years.) I need to Google "life span of a chicken". In the meantime, I'm rooting for Old Silkie; the silkies are always the tamest chickens.
Anyone else getting ready to add wood to the fire and tuck in their house chicken for the night? Probably NOT.
Cute:) Seems more like a pet than livestock:)
ReplyDeleteSounds like your mornings are busy too!! I make lunches and wake kids at the same time as you