Frozen water is a problem for thirsty birds

THERE is a series of chores that I perform every morning, with the enthusiastic assistance of my dog.

But the long cold snap slightly altered our routine.

Our first job is to feed the hens and collect the eggs – not many of them at this time of year. The hen house has gutters that feed into a small open tank which provides drinking water. Occasionally in dry spells I have to top this up with a watering can but most of the year the rain does the job.