Many opinions, odd antidotes, and myths surround the art of how to keep chicken water from freezing in the winter without electricity. We do it here at Hobbit Hill quite simply. It takes about ten minutes twice a day and involves either 5-gallon pails (or milk jugs depending on the size View Article
winter
Snowy March Day in Bucksport
It seems the winter is still hanging on. Overnight several inches of heavy snow blanketed the rugged landscape of the mountain. Wind sent snowflakes dancing sideways into drifts. This was warm snow on the verge of optimal snow fort building—but not quite warm enough to hold together. The flakes piled View Article
Still winter, gah
This has been a strange winter so far. We’ve had snowstorms immediately followed by rain and melt all the snow. We had a weekend of mucky roads where we decided it best not to leave the house for a couple days. There hasn’t been a real nor’easter yet, though the View Article
Freezing Mist Afoot: Winter in Maine
As I write this, a fine mist clings to the goat’s house and chicken coop. Larger drops slip through as they gain momentum and gather droplets. It’s 26°f and layers of ice are slowly building up, and are expected to continue clear through dinnertime. A good, solid inch lays over View Article
Get more chicken eggs in winter with light and diet
LAST UPDATED JAN 6, 2017 If your chickens are anything like mine, they go on vacation near the winter solstice. The hens reduce egg output due to the shortening of daylight and colder temperatures as Maine plunges into the heart of winter. There are many measures an avid chicken owner View Article
Hen or rooster, preparing for winter, and getting more eggs
How to tell the sex of your chickens, bump up that winter production, and thinning out your flock.
2019 Large Chicken Flock Thinning 101
We are cutting our flock down from it’s peak of 100+ mostly summer free-rangers to a selected 20 hens, and their respective roosters per-breed, for overwintering. In the last few weeks, I have sold, gifted, and deliberated. I’m only keeping a handful of breeds and crosses. It’s time to decide View Article