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Winter tips for backyard chickens that no one thinks about (until it’s too late)

Posted on November 5, 2024November 18, 2024

By Dalia Monterroso, The President of Chickenlandia

This post contains affiliate links to awesome products that I love.

With the upcoming holidays, you’re probably really busy. Alas, time stops for no one, and before we know it, winter will be upon us if it isn’t already. My first and most important winter tip is this: Don’t worry! You and your chickens will be just fine. That said, I don’t want you to get caught off guard by issues that can be avoided with a bit of preparedness. Keep scrolling for helpful winter tips you likely won’t read about elsewhere!

Chickenlandia is in the Pacific Northwest, a region considered relatively mild in terms of climate. Each year, we usually get about two or three days of temperatures below ten degrees and maybe a week with snow on the ground. You can imagine, then, my utter shock when a couple of years ago we had a terrible ice storm. The whole chicken run was covered in a thick sheet of ice, and the netting above it was also frozen solid. Needless to say, the whole thing was scary and difficult to manage, especially after I injured myself while hauling water to the coop.

It was just a little slip; it happened in a split second. I didn’t even fall to the ground. But it was enough to give me a groin injury that took almost two years to heal. If only I had known what I’m about to tell you right now: please get appropriate winter boots dedicated to the chicken yard and/or buy yourself some ice cleats for your existing chicken yard shoes. If I had had either or both of these things, I would not have gotten injured. Don’t let it happen to you! Trust me on this one.

Another thing it would be wise for you to think about before the bitter cold is upon us is how and where you will store your feed in the winter. Think about how you will haul that feed to your coop if there’s a storm or if there’s any place you can put it so you don’t have to haul it. You will also want to consider how you will haul water if needed. You may wish to acquire some kind of cart, wagon, or sled for these types of chores. Trust me, doing so will make life so much easier for you.

If you can have electricity in your coop and you just haven’t set it up yet, do it now and get yourself a heated waterer that you can plug in, fill, and walk away from. There are good-quality heated waterers made specifically for chickens, but they are somewhat expensive. A cheaper alternative would be to purchase one or two heated dog bowls (just remember, you will have to change these out more often). Heated dog bowls can also be used to feed your flock fermented feed over the winter.

Melted snow and rain can cause a mud issue in your chicken yard. Mud can bring with it a whole host of problems you want to avoid, such as stressed or sick chickens. There’s also the problem of smell. If you need to do something drastic, like regrading your chicken yard so you have better drainage, it’s best to do that before the ground freezes. If your mud issue isn’t severe, try Chickenlandia’s famous mud hack, which uses pine pellets to soak up moisture. You can learn more about that here:

Okay, so this piece of advice is really important. I want you to be truly honest with yourself and make sure that the space where your chickens can go to get away from drafts, rain, snow, and mud is enough space for the number of chickens you have. If you need to downsize, you should do it now. Don’t wait until you have a bullying situation or other problems due to overcrowding.

The other thing you need to be sure of is that you have enough enrichment for your chickens, especially if they have to be confined for an extended time in a smaller space than they are used to. Because bored chickens will get into trouble, hanging a cabbage for them to peck at is a great idea. You could also sprout some grains for them and/or make them a suet treat or a DIY treat block. They will love it, and it will keep them occupied until that darn snow melts away. For my DIY suet treat recipe, watch this (or check out the blog post before this one):

Winter can be a nerve-wracking time for chicken keepers, but it doesn’t have to be. Let me know in the comments how you plan to get through the winter! You can also check out more regarding chicken winter care here.

Your chickens deserve this healthy homemade suet treat!

Posted on October 19, 2024October 19, 2024

It’s low-cost and great for molting and cold weather.

Written by Dalia Monterroso

The wonderful folks at Grubbly Farms sponsored this article.

Last week, I took a break from all my Chickenlandia shenanigans to share an easy recipe for a fun and healthy chicken treat. This treat has a suet or coconut oil base and is filled with healthy ingredients (you probably already have most of them) to help chickens through their molt and the colder weather. Here’s the video about it that I posted on my YouTube Channel. You’re a subscriber, right?

For this recipe, I did use a new ingredient that I hadn’t used before in a suet treat. It’s the Omega Mix from Grubbly Farms. Technically, it’s a supplement since it adds extra omegas to your flock’s diet, making their eggs more nutritious. But chickens love the taste of it, so they see it as a treat. With ingredients like black soldier fly larvae, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and more, it’s also great for chickens when they’re molting and on colder days. This is an optional ingredient, but I think it’s one that really packs a punch. Grab your own bag here.

Chickenlandia’s Fun and Healthy Suet Treat

What you will need:

2 cups lard, tallow, or coconut oil (you can melt it if you like but if you’re able to stir it, it’s not necessary)

5 tablespoons chicken-safe herbs such as thyme and oregano

1 garlic clove, minced

2/3rd cup Grubbly Farms Omega Mix*

2 cups mash, pellet, or crumble chicken feed

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast or brewer’s yeast

Directions: Stir all the ingredients together in a large bowl until mixed well. Add the mixture into an ice tray or a makeshift suet holder as seen in my video. Place the containers of mixture into the refrigerator until the fat hardens, usually one to two hours. Once it’s hardened, offer as much to your chickens as they will eat before dusk (this treat is for chickens, not wayward rodents!)

*If you don’t have the Omega Mix, you can replace it with 2/3rd cup grubs, mealworms, oatmeal, cracked corn, sunflower seeds, or extra feed. Honestly, just play around with it. Your chickens are going to love it!

Let me know if you get a chance to make this fun treat and how your chickens like it. I’m always interested in hearing from you!

How to Help a Chicken Die

Posted on August 26, 2024August 26, 2024

You’ve loved them for all their life. Now, you want an easy death for them.

By: Dalia Monterroso, The President of Chickenlandia

If you’re reading this right now, there’s no doubt in my mind that you love your chickens. Unfortunately, no amount of love can save a being from the inevitable process of bodily death. If it’s any comfort, there are ways in which we can help our chickens pass on to the next adventure with less struggle, pain, and resistance. Don’t worry; the options I wish to discuss do not cause harm and will not cause a chicken to die if that’s not already the trajectory.

Let Go of the Guilt

First things first, please do not feel guilty. There are so many factors that go into the health of a chicken and how long they live. Most of those factors are well beyond your control. Production breeds, especially, are vulnerable to all kinds of afflictions. Even seemingly indestructible bantam chickens can succumb when least expected. It’s never easy, and I can say with almost 100% certainty that it’s not your fault.

Offer a Peaceful Environment

Before you administer anything to help your chicken pass peacefully, you will first want to remove them from the flock either completely or partially. A chicken that doesn’t mind being inside and has had a lot of human interaction may be most comfortable in a quiet bathroom or section of the garage.

On the other hand, a chicken that you know would rather be chased by a raccoon than experience human interaction can be kept outside with her flock but safely behind some kind of a wire barrier or enclosure. This way, she can see the flock and experience their comfort while not being subject to the darker aspects of the pecking order (sick chickens can be harmed or even killed by their flock-mates).

The Flower Essence

It was difficult for me to locate a good definition that clearly states what flower essences are. The best definition I found was from a company that actually makes them. I have no association with this company, nor am I selling their product. But their website is great! Here is the flower essence definition as defined by the folks at Forrest Green Farm:

“Flower Essences are energetic imprints of flowers in spring water that work well for mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual concerns. They do not have any medicinal constituents so anyone with any conditions can feel safe using essences. Including children, the elderly and animals. They are easily assimilated into your body and are very safe to use.“

So there you have it. I have been using flower essences for over thirty years and have found them to be essential to my overall wellness and the wellness of my family. The essence Angel’s Trumpet, specifically, has been an absolute gift when I’m faced with a dying chicken. This essence’s purpose is not to make the chicken die or to have any physical effect. It simply helps anyone taking it to accept the process of death on an emotional (and, I dare say, spiritual) level. It also helps me to feel more peaceful just from administering it.

The Homeopathic

Merriam-Webster defines Homeopathic Medicine as: “a system of alternative medicine that treats a disease especially by the administration of minute doses of a remedy that would in larger amounts produce symptoms in healthy persons similar to those of the disease.”

In other words, according to the founder of homeopathy, like heals like. I have been using homeopathic remedies for as long as I’ve been using flower essences. They have also become an integral part of mine and my family’s health and healing, even for my chickens!

Arsenicum Album is a homeopathic remedy known as a “polycrest,” which means that it has a wide variety of indications, with ease of death being just one. When I have a chicken that is clearly dying, I will administer Arsenicum Album in the 30c potency. This remedy, along with Angel’s Trumpet, has made the process of dying so much easier for several of my chickens over the years. Again, this remedy is not going to make your chicken die. Its purpose is to help ease the struggle of a chicken that is already dying.

Caring for Philippe during his respiratory illness.

Options for Dosing

If my chicken is still drinking liquids, I will simply place two drops of Angel’s Trumpet and two pellets of Arsenicum Album 30c into her water. Each time the chicken takes a sip of water, she will get a dose.

If I have a chicken that is no longer drinking on her own, I will put two drops of Angel’s Trumpet and two pellets of Arsenicum Album into a glass of water, pull some water into a needle-less syringe, and administer a drop or two onto the side of my chicken’s beak every few hours. The liquid need only make contact with the inside of the beak; she doesn’t have to drink it. This method should be used only if the chicken doesn’t mind being handled. If a chicken really doesn’t want to be handled, you can simply put a couple of drops from the treated glass of water onto the back of her neck.

A Lifetime of Gratitude

It’s not easy, but when I’m dealing with death in my flock, it does serve as a reminder that the most important thing in life is how it was lived. I’m so grateful for the time I get with my chickens, and I’m glad I can give them the kind of life I wish all chickens on earth could have. During our last moments together, I will tell my chicken thank you. Thank you for making me laugh. Thank you for easing my stress. And when they look back at me, I sometimes feel that I can hear them saying, “And thank you for letting me peck and scratch. I liked that.”

Chicken Predator Attacks: How to Help Your Flock Move On

Posted on August 5, 2024August 5, 2024

By Dalia Monterroso, The President of Chickenlandia

*This article contains affiliate links to some awesome products I love.*

Predator attacks are heartbreaking when they happen to our chickens. Unfortunately, what many folks don’t realize is that even if there are no injuries or losses in your flock, the aftermath could actually be worse than the initial event. That’s why I felt it was important to tell you the story of a terrible day in Chickenlandia. It all started when I heard a loud commotion from my kitchen. At the time, I dismissed it, thinking it was just my chickens singing their normal morning egg song. But when I went outside a few minutes later, what I saw broke my heart.

Since the beginning of my teaching career, I have spoken at length about protecting chickens from hungry predators. In fact, one of the first popular videos I uploaded to my YouTube channel was about predator-proofing. In the opening sequence, with all the acting skills I could muster, I imitated Liam Neeson in the movie Taken. Even though I cringe whenever I see it, I’ve noticed that fewer raccoons come around Chickenlandia since it was posted. They must know I have “a particular set of skills.” Watch the video and learn more about predator-proofing here.

via GIPHY

The Little Bear Who Lost Its Way

A few weeks ago, my neighbor sent me this photo of a young bear trying to break into a can of chicken feed:

We live on five acres, surrounded mostly by farmland. While black bears are prolific in the higher elevations near where we live, in the last thirty years, there have been only two sightings in our neighborhood. This more recent sighting was the latter. Both times, the bears were juveniles who seemingly lost their way.

The neighbor who warned me lives on the other side of several acres of woods behind our property. Because they live relatively far away, I confess I thought there was no way the young bear would make its way to my property. If it did, I thought, “There’s no way it could do any damage to my flock.” Alas, in chicken keeping, over-confidence can be a real trickster.

While I didn’t actually witness the bear come around, I do believe it ventured into my yard and made its predatory presence known. I came to this conclusion because when I made it out to my coop, I found two sweet chickens had passed from what I gathered was utter shock. Unfortunately, chickens and other animals can die from fright, and it’s always very sad. If you’d like to watch the full story, including why I felt those two particular chickens were vulnerable to sudden death, click the play button below.

The Process of Healing Takes some Proaction

Even if you don’t experience any losses or injuries in your flock, what you do in the aftermath of a predator attack is critical to the immediate and long-term health of your birds. Just like humans, chickens can get stuck in a traumatic moment, unable to move forward in a healthy way. The result of this chronic stress can be illness and/or parasite infestation. That’s why after any traumatic event affecting your chickens, I recommend doing a few things to help them move past the bad event and into a more cheerful moment in time.

Rescue Remedy is a Bach Flower Remedy that I put in my flock’s water any time they are under stress. It’s a combination of calming flower essences, which work energetically to bring balance to a being’s spirit and emotions (people can take them too). If this sounds a tad “woo woo” for you, I get it. Flower essences are similar to homeopathics, and I know they aren’t for everyone. I share my use of them because I have seen them work first-hand. I’ve also taken them myself for decades. Note: Flower Essences are not essential oils. There’s no fear of a chicken suffering negative effects from them. You can learn more about them in this podcast I did about pecking order issues.

Just like people, chickens’ immune systems are vulnerable when they are traumatized and/or stressed. If you never give your chickens vitamins, herbs, or other immune-boosting supplements, after a predator attack is the time to do it. After our possible bear attack, I added (and have decided to continue adding) this Prebiotic+Probiotic supplement from Grubbly Farms to my flock’s water.

The company describes it as a supplement that “ensures optimal gut health for healthy digestion and nutrient absorption, which impacts overall wellness.” Since we are learning more and more about the connection between gut health, immunity, and overall resilience, I felt great about adding this supplement to my flock’s water at such a critical time. Of course, if you can’t buy anything, you can always grow your flock their own immune-boosting herbs and ferment their feed. And don’t forget you can also make your chickens some nutrient-packed DIY electrolytes at home.

Distraction and a quick return to normalcy can help chickens overcome traumatic events. I recommend offering your chickens nutritious treats in addition to good immune-boosting supplementation. You don’t have to spend money on this; hanging a cabbage, throwing some healthy scraps, or offering them some grass clippings is great.

If you do wish to buy them something special, the Omega Mix from Grubbly Farms is both nutrient-rich and highly distracting (due to its deliciousness). I found it to be extra helpful after this event since it’s both a healthy supplement and a tasty treat. The bonus: it makes their eggs healthier, too! My chickens loved it so much that they forgot all about their bear encounter. I also enjoyed giving it to them, which helped me move on.

We’re All Learning

I wish I could tell you that as The President of Chickenlandia, I have finally learned all the lessons the chicken yard has to offer. Alas, that’s simply not true. Even with so many chicken-keeping years under my belt, and even though I spend my days teaching others the way of the chicken yard, I am still learning. While it’s hard sometimes, I’m grateful for the experience, and I’d love to hear about what you’ve been experiencing in your neck of the woods. Hopefully, it doesn’t include bears. But if it does, I hope it’s just the “teddy” kind.

Chickenlandia’s NEW Book is Now Available for Pre-order!

Posted on December 31, 2022December 31, 2022

I can’t believe it’s finally happening…

Words cannot express how excited I am to finally be sharing the pre-order link for my new book Let’s All Keep Chickens! which has been a labor of love for nearly three years. Since I became a Backyard Chicken Educator over a decade ago, I’ve been gathering the information I need to put it all together. For the months that I was actively writing, I would sit in my youngest son’s bed and type away as he fell asleep. That’s how I was able to get this done, by squeezing in moments to write whenever I could. It was hard, but it has been so worth it. You can find all the purchase options for Let’s All Keep Chickens! by clicking the link below:

Pre-order Let’s All Keep Chickens! here.

This one is different…

At the risk of tooting my own horn, I have to say that I don’t think there’s another chicken book like this one on the market. Don’t get me wrong, there are so many great chicken books, some of which I have used in my own education throughout the years. But Let’s All Keep Chickens! is different because my goal is not only to share with you the ins and outs of chicken keeping but also to inspire you to use this age-old practice to enrich not only your life but also the world. I really mean that!

The actual release date for the book is February 28th, 2023, just in time for baby chick season! Leading up to the release, I’ll be updating you via social media regarding any interviews I’ll be doing and any in-person events I may be participating in. It’s going to be a very busy and very exciting time, so make sure you’re following me on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Chicken Keeping is for everyone.

I’m so glad we have found each other on this wild chicken adventure we’re on. I hope you will take a moment to pre-order my book and share the link with your friends. But even if you can’t buy my book or my online course, remember: there’s a ton of FREE content on my YouTube Channel and Podcast. And above all, remember that you are always welcome in Chickenlandia!