Practical Poultry Magazine No.117 Whiskers Galore. Edizione posteriore

We’ve adopted a winter theme for this issue; well, with Jack Frost waiting in the wings, it seemed appropriate! As David Parsons explains in his excellent explanation of the risks posed to chickens
by respiratory problems as the weather deteriorates – Healthy options, page 46 – the transitions between summer, autumn and winter represent a challenging time for both chickens and their keepers. Those new to the hobby need to be especially aware at this time of year. If you’re facing your first winter with chickens in the garden, then it’s more than likely that any willing helpers you may have had during the balmy days of summer, will melt away quicker than a knob of butter in a heated omlette pan! The novelty of collecting eggs and spending time with the chickens inevitably wears a little thin as the temperature plummets; that’s to be expected. However, it’s essential that somebody in the family remains responsible because, as David explains, the dampness of autumn and winter can present a real challenge to chicken health. Keepers must become extra vigilent with their observations and, while it won’t be as pleasant to stand around watching the antics of your birds as it was in July, you still need to spend a bit of time doing it. Regular and careful observation is one of the simplest but most overlooked basics of a good husbandry routine. Becoming familiar with how your hens behave will help you identify when things change, giving you the ability to take action and nip problems in the bud when necessary. Another fundamental, as we head towards
winter, is to keep a special eye on house bedding condition. The ability of your hen house to provide its occupants with safe and dry shelter will be comprehensively tested once the weather turns wet, and the freshness of the bedding layer on the floor will play a crucial part in this. So don’t ignore it and, if it needs changing do it, no matter how wet or cold it may be outside!