01/21/2026
Listen, we know your chickens are technically tiny dinosaurs, but even a T-Rex would’ve hated this forecast. With the winter storm heading our way, it’s time to move from "business as usual" to "extreme barn makeover."
Here’s how to keep your feathered, fleecy, and four-legged friends from turning into "pet-sickles":
❄️ Check the Roof! Ice is heavy! Double-check that your barns and coops are sturdy. A leaning shed is just a "DIY disaster" waiting to happen once the freezing rain starts stacking up.
🌾 Go Deep with the Straw: Forget the hay for beds (save that for snacks!). Use a thick, "deep-litter" layer of dry straw. It’s like a thermal sleeping bag that helps absorb moisture and trap heat.
💧 The Great Defrost: Chilled water is for fancy restaurants, not water troughs. Insulate your tanks and check them at least twice a day. If you don't have a heater, be prepared to play "Whack-a-Mole" with an ice breaker!
⛵ Stable Ground is the Best Ground: If your pasture turns into a swamp during a storm, move animals and feed to the driest, most sheltered area you have. Nobody wants to wade through a mud rink at sunrise, and our animal control officers definitely do not want to go ice skating through a frozen swamp to catch a loose animal.
Bottom line: Prep now = happy animals later. Stay warm, stay safe.
