Have been considering getting some chooks, but suddenly wondered what do you do with them in winter?
Do you just get a coop big enough for them to live in in winter, are they bothered by snow?

not bothered by snow, but the fox is hungrier and braver then. we lost one this winter, so I built a large run to house them.

Also means the lawn gets to recover…

If they're anything like ours they won't even consider walking on snow. For a chicken I'd imagine it's a WTF?! moment. We cleared paths through the snow and put down straw.
Ours (five of them) have a coop with a large enough covered run that they huddle in there when it's snowing. We just just bung some extra insulation on the roof and they're fine. Don't expect any eggs though.

this was posted on an email service I subscribe to – made me lol…

So, one of my chickens is being pecked quite a bit and has lost her tail feathers as a result. I looks up solutions on t'interweb and sees "Smear tail with vaseline liberally – they dont like the texture in their beaks and will cease pecking there".
First thing in the morning, out I goes to chicken shed, grab chicken and commence liberal smearing of vaseline to rear end, look up and see neighbour staring at me, hanging out washing. Me in dressing gown whispering "good girl, good girl".

My half-hearted nervous response of "It's for her own protection"
didnt go down well either. Ho hum.

Ah, yours are clearly braver than ours.
Was a bit of a worry spotting fox tracks in the snow all the way up to our gate.

lol @wwaswas my colleagues are all wondering why i'm laughing

our neighbours have got some chickens and now we have rats looking for the feed that the chickens miss!

ggggrrrrrr, where's Bernard Matthews when you need him?

lol good story wwawas,

Best be is to separate the one doing the pecking, then you neighbours don't look at you funny when you have vaseline and chicken shit on the head of your cock.

Got ours 2 weeks ago and they are proper entertainment. Ours wander free around the garden, the only thing I would say is that the do poo quite alot but it's all good fertilizer 😉

I have quite a few chickens, They are fine all year round.

They stay inside or shelter when its cold or raining but they where wandering round in 30cm deep snow earlier in the year.

I live on a farm and we got a minor rat problem (due to food leaving out for them) this went quickly with a rodenator so keep an eye out. Also make sure you dig deep to give foundations for the fencing or mr fox will be in. Happened to me once not a nice sight.

this went quickly with a rodenator

Couldn't resist looking to see what this is 😯 😯

I don't get it to be honest. They stink, make a racket, produce an egg (if your lucky) covered in shit, need feeding, watering, cleaning out, shutting up every night and they attract foxes. Eggs are cheap in the shops, free range eggs taste no different and come washed, stamped and in a handy box that isn't covered in shit. Don't you lot have enough to do with out all that crap, just for an egg covered in shit. I can't stand them. I would probably go so far as to say, I Hate chickens and the sooner the other half gets rid of the lot, the better. Good for eating mind.

PikeBN14

I guess you can see why i have no Rat problems then.

The rodenator was developed by a couple of US soilders who used a similar device in Veitnam! 😯