Precautions When Raising Chickens During Summer and Winter

Chickens seem so fragile.They seem without any survival characteristics. But that is not true 100%. Theyhave some characteristics that allow them to pull it through and survive inharsh weather conditions. Of course, those traits depend on the chickenspecies.

Some chicken can withstandthe harsh conditions of winter and other may like to do sunbaths. It depends onthe type of chicken and on the weather he is accustomed with. So don’t wasteyour money and your precious time with a type of chicken that likes a differentweather than the one you have. It may be very hard to raise chicken underdifficult conditions.

The winter time

In this cold weather, manypeople try to heat the chickens. They think that they will do them good. Butdon’t try that if you want alive and healthy chickens.

They can catch a cold or evenfreeze. You may leave them healthy and safe and in the morning you can findthem dead. For your information, keep in mind that chicken can adapt todifficult weather conditions. Their body has a changing metabolism that helpsthem survive during cold temperatures.

If the place where you livehas a cold weather with harsh temperatures, you may want to take someprecautions before bringing the chicken in. In this way, you will be ready forthem and you will not put their lives in any danger.

Some of these actions are:

1. Sometimes, the lowtemperatures cause the comb or the wattle to have frostbites. If you want toprevent this from happening, you can rub a petroleum jelly or another kind ofmoisturizer on that place from time to time.

2. Make sure the water supplyis not frozen. Depriving the chicken of water can seriously damage theirhealth. If the water is frozen, the chickens will not get near eat and they candie without water. Also, make sure the water reserve has no impurities. Thechicken can get diseases from those impurities. If there is a danger orfreezing, get a heater and warm up the water. Make sure the water stays warm atall times. If you don’t posses a water heater, get the water inside your houseand bring it to the chicken in the morning.

Summer time

If you have a house locatedin a place where there is summer all the time, the chicken can suffer formbeing exposed to heat all day long. They could be dehydrated and that is notgood. The one thing and very important thing you need to do during summer is tomake sure they have water all the time. Make sure the water is fresh and pure.Refill the supply whenever it is possible. Also, don’t let the chickens runaround without providing them some shade. Also, you can provide someventilation in their pen.

Another important thing isthat when heat waves occur, the hens can lay excessive eggs. This is not a goodsign. It means the hen is very stressed because of the heat. If the heat stopsor the temperatures goes back to normal, the laying process will resume tonormal.

Also, during extreme weatherconditions it is good to observe the chickens for any abnormal behavior. Noticethe way they walk, what they eat, how often they eat etc.If you see one of themisolated in a corner or acting a bit strange, it means they have caught adisease. Get the chicken and put it in quarantine to prevent the disease fromspreading.

The isolated animal alsoneeds water, food and treatment. After he has recuperated, the sick chicken canreturn to the others.Some symptoms of chickensickness include: depression, sneezing, teary eyes, loss of appetite, mites,abnormal stools and the tendency to become isolated. If you notice any of thesesigns, talk to the vet and get treatment for the chicken.