Chickens and Outdoor Access
New Hampshire is known for cold and snowy winters. When spring finally arrives, the doors to our barns are opened to the outside, and our hens are allowed to come and go as they please. The hens that choose to go outside enjoy scratching in the dirt and grass. More than a few look like they're sunbathing!
Outdoor access for our hens is important. We want to reassure our customers, however, that we make sure our hens are safe from predators and disease from wild birds. We also protect the soil and water around our farm.
We protect our hens by not allowing them to go outside during the following conditions:
- During cold and inclement weather
When ground predators such as fox and coyote are seen in the immediate area.- When large flocks of small birds such as starlings or grackles choose to roost on the barn roofs or near the outdoor access area. These birds often carry fowl mites, which will multiply rapidly through any flock of hens. The National Organic Program allows only a few remedies like diatomaceous earth to help rid a flock of mites. Most, however, are not fully effective. Preventing mites is the best course of action.
During migratory bird season. Our farm is in the Connecticut River basin, a popular flyway for migratory birds. Waterfowl like Canada Geese are probably the scariest threat to our hens. While waterfowl may appear healthy, these birds are reservoirs for Avian Influenza or bird flu. If our hens come into contact with these birds or any material from them, it's very likely that our entire farm would become infected with Avian Influenza. For more information about Canada Geese and Avian Influenza, please visit the Centers for Disease Control Website
We protect the environment around the farm by not allowing the hens outside when the ground is soggy. During those times, the hens can destroy the grass and vegetation, promoting silt runoff.
Our Winter Garden provides a solution
In the summer of 2009, we built our first Winter Garden for the hens. The Winter Garden is a screened-in area with a roof and a solid scratch floor that allows the hens access to sunlight and fresh air while protecting them from weather, wildlife and disease.
We're very excited about our Winter Garden and believe it will provide our hens with safe outdoor access almost year round! Next year, we plan to build at least one Winter Garden on each of our barns.
Winter Garden for the hens
