Anchor Struck

Our first week of winter here has been . . . well, wintery.  We’ve had plenty of rain and snow,

but the temperature has been the big story.  Usually by now, we’ve had a few nights well

below freezing.  This year, though, we’ve averaged 1° C. since the solstice.

And I do mean averaged.  There’s been virtually no fluctuation.  Several days the high and

low was 1.  Fortunately, the storms that battered us in mid-December have blown out.  The

days have been pleasant, if not balmy.  We would gladly tolerate this until the warm winds

of spring return.

The chickens are facing current conditions with plucky resolve.  They’re not keen on the

snow, but they like the collapsed netting shown in the last post.  It still leaves them plenty

of room to maneuver, yet protects them against aerial attack and makes it impossible for

me to chase them down when I think they should be in the coop.

The two new hens we added a month ago have fit in nicely.  Our increased security measures

have kept Slinkee from any further murder sprees.  So with the storms and dog becalmed,

egg production is improving.  Except for this one:

It felt like leather.  The girls had pushed it to a corner of the nesting box and covered it with

straw.  I assume this was just a matter of housekeeping.  As far as I know, chickens have no

shame.