Do you get cabin fever in winter? Well so can chickens! They can become crabby girls who start to peck on each other since there’s nothing better to do and they can stop laying eggs too. Fights, feather eating and in extreme cases cannibalism are all things that can be prevented by keeping the girls content and busy during the long winter months.
8 Ways to Keep the Girls Happy:
1. If you choose to keep a rooster, think about giving the hens a break and house him out of the coop area, at least during the day. This always increases my egg production in winter as sometimes a girl just doesn’t want to be bothered with that much mating action as there’s less room to escape his advances when they’re cooped up.
2. Hang a thin rope, like baler twine, from a roost or rafter long enough for the hens to reach. Use it to hang a head of cabbage or bunch of greens. This gives them something other than each other to peck. Try alfalfa hay in a mesh net or in a wire basket on a wall that makes them jump up to reach the hay.
3. Collect pumpkins, (always with permission) whole ones only, from your friends in town when the fall decorations are put 
to the curb. It keeps them out of the landfills and are great to cut in half for the flock. This will also keep the yolk of the eggs a deep yellow color. Winter squash, sweet potatoes and marigolds also work to deepen the yolk color which is a sign of good egg quality.
4. Hang a chicken swing. Make one with two ropes and a flat board or purchase one from Buchheit’s.
5. Get a bale of straw and take a flake or two into the coop area. Don’t fluff it up, just put a handful of scratch on the top and they will stay busy finding the goodies. They’ll spread out the fresh bedding as they play.
6. Suet hanger: I make my own using coconut oil and seeds but the store brought ones are fine too. Just know the source as suet is an animal fat. You can also stuff a suet cage full of greens and make them work for their supper. Can you spot the alfalfa hanger in the photo?
7. Jumping Birds: When it is really cold, I take them whole grain bread or popcorn and make them jump up to get it from my hand. Yes I do sing the “Jumping Bird” song as they come running for a treat. This gets them active and their blood 
flowing.
8. Flock Blocks: Since I have a small flock, Jim quarters the blocks with a saw so that they don’t get too much at one time. An excellent flock block can be purchased at your local Buchheit’s. I store the excess in my feed bin to prevent a rodent feast.
I hope these ideas will help you keep the girls happy this winter. Chickens are a lot like toddlers, they are adorable but need to be kept entertained. Hope your flock stays happy and healthy all year. I’ll share more tips on happy hens soon.
Take time to relax, call a friend, hug someone having a tough day, and enjoy life! Anne May
I really enjoyed the free seminar today at my local Buchheits. Annie knows her chickens! It was a small crowd, only 2 of us, which was great for us students, but a shame that more people missed out on valuable information. I hope to attend more seminars and I will be sure to tell everyone I know about the next one. Keep up the great work Annie and Buchheits!
Hello! I loved meeting the ladies who attended Saturday’s class! Thank you for giving us the feedback. Your time is very valuable, making your response greatly appreciated! Can’t wait to see you all again at another class at Buchheit’s. Thank you!
have trouble with critters in your bird food? add hot peppers. Birds don’t have a hot button. so it will just be something new. but critters do have the hot taste. so add some powdered peppers of dried peppers.
Thank you for taking the time to send me such sound advice!!! I put red pepper flakes in the water and she perked back up! Thank you again, loved hearing from you!