Spring Storm Readiness With Backyard Chickens
The welcome warm which accompanies the beautiful spring season is a relief after the cold temperatures of the previous winter. However, warmer temperatures bring with them unpredictable weather patterns which can have an impact on your backyard flock. Here are some simple and practical tips to help you have a safe and happy spring season with your backyard chickens. These tips are centered around backyard chicken safety. For family weather emergency event planning, please see your national and local emergency responder websites for more information.
Spring temperature stress. Temperature swings pose a very real challenge to your backyard flock. Sudden cold followed by extreme summer-like heat can pose dangers to your flock in the form of things like heat stress and dehydration. Some chicken breeds and individual chickens are more adapted to temperature swings that others while some will struggle to compensate for the sudden changes in their environment. Support your flock with things like multiple fresh water sources, plenty of shade, enrichment to explore, clean chicken housing, plenty of perches and roosts, adequate and appropriate poultry nutrition, and inexpensive supplements like grit and oyster shell in a free-choice dish or dispenser. These are all helpful to maintain the health of your flock during stressful transitions.
Be weather aware. There are more options than ever to stay on top of emerging weather patterns in your area. You may be tempted to check out on weather coverage now that the blizzard season is behind you but spring can offer its own unique challenges. Sudden drops followed by heatwaves stress your flock physically. Sudden storms and conditions like hale can be deadly to your flock. Invest in sturdy, safe chicken housing and stay tuned to conditions in your area. It is much better to be ready for a storm that passes you by rather than ignore warnings and pay costly or heartbreaking consequences.
Expect interruptions from storm damage to cause things like utility interruptions which may include loss of power, water, and impeded travel. Downed limbs and storm damage can interrupt normal utility services and impact local travel. When your area is expecting severe weather, give yourself and your flock peace of mind by topping off feeders and watering stations. Doing chicken chores ahead of storms frees up your focus for other emergent tasks. Have at least one extra of your most essential chicken supplies on hand which includes things like your ground cover litter, nesting materials, and your chosen chicken feed in case of interruptions to normal travel until utilities can be restored and roads cleared safely for travel.
Take down hanging items and toys ahead of storms. Put away farming and cleaning tools. Hanging feeders, swings, hanging toys can be tossed dangerously in high winds. Rehang these items after the danger of high winds has passed. Put away any tools you may use during the day when anticipating storms so these tools don’t become dangerous projectiles.
Spring is the time for important seasonal maintenance. Old ground cover litter, old nesting material, dust, and excess accumulated droppings from the cooped-up winter season all pose a very real threat to your flock’s health. Unsanitary chicken housing causes and perpetuates issues like flies, mites, lice, pests, disease, and can even impact your flock’s behavior causing aggression and feather pecking. Whether you’re using deep bedding method or spot clean and scoop method in your chicken area, your ground cover should be replaced in entirely annually (if not more often) based on your specific chicken housing to keep dangerous pests and disease from breeding and perpetuating in old and decomposing bedding and litter. Use livestock safe cleaning supplies when working in your chicken area like all-natural castile soap. Don’t use harsh, heavily scented chemical cleaning solutions in your chicken as these can harm your chickens’ sensitive skin, feathers, and respiratory system. When storms occur and your flock is spending time in their chicken area for safety, you’ll be glad you performed this important maintenance and so will your flock.
Train your flock to an emergency recall. Chickens are highly trainable. Especially if you utilize partial confinement or free-ranging, being able to recall your flock to their safe chicken area in case of a sudden storm, predator presence, or other emergency can save the lives of your flock. A detailed video describing how I successfully trained my own flock to an emergency recall routine is available on my YouTube channel linked below and on the landing page.
Provide your flock with multiple forms of shelter from the elements. Ideally your flock has a safe, predator proof coop and run they can access in case of severe weather. If your flock is free-ranging or roaming over a large area, you can provide additional emergency shelters in the form of a 3 sided box made from scrap wood or even a large tote turned on its side lined with straw. These small shelters scattered throughout the area where your flock roams can provide enrichment as well as quick shelter and hiding places in case severe weather strikes suddenly and they are unable to make the track safely back to their chicken area.
I hope you’ve enjoyed these tips for keeping your backyard flock safe in unpredictable spring weather conditions. If you enjoyed this post, be sure to check out Chuck’s other social media linked below for more backyard chicken and homesteading content.
Chuck and the Chicks 