Quote:
Originally Posted by
bfrancis 
Nanakat, the 12 pint jars have been "canned" to seal them. (a couple teaspoons of oxine to prevent cootie growth) They work as a "heat sink". The water inside heats up to incubator temps and helps maintain the heat to prevent temp fluctuations. By maintaining heat, the thermostat doesn't have to work as hard either. One last benefit, if there is a power outage, and we've had a few lately, it will help hold temps until the power comes back on.
Smart idea!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Poco Pollo
Kass - I incubated the jars for six hours. Did I need to wait longer?
Nanakat - Are the jars of boiling water covered with lids or just open? Do the jars need to be refilled with boiling water at any point?
When I start the yogurt on the stove, I start a pot of water. When yogurt is ready to pour up, I pour, seal and wrap each quart jar in a towel. Then I pour up the boiling water, seal with a lid and wrap with a cup towel. I alternate the jars of yogurt and the jars of water in the ice chest or styrofoam. Sometimes I use those zipper cold pack bags. Sealed in the chest or bags, the heat incubates the yogurt. The recipe is one I got from Miss Prissy on the BYC recipe thread. It uses powdered milk. We love it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Ksane Can snakes climb 6' walls or fences? If so could deer netting be draped somehow on the outside walls of a coop to stop them?
A snake got through chicken wire into a pen and killed my beautiful 3 mo old Bantam Cochin boy. It tried to swallow him and couldn't so spit him out. It didn't bother the other 6 youngsters in there, why? I thought a snake small enough to fit through chicken wire wouldn't be able to kill a chick. Obviously I was wrong 
I'm going to reline the 4x8 pen that little group was in with hardware cloth before they go back in there. But my Brahama & Ameraucana teenagers in their yard are going to have to be locked inside their coop at night, which I haven't done because of the heat. But can snakes climb the 6' tall walls of the coop and get in through the vented areas at the top? Also, are snakes scared of light? If I leave the light on all night in their coop, will that do any good?
BFrancis posted a link (tongs.com) for snake tongs. I just spent $100 on a pair of them.
The war is on.
If a snake can get it's head thru a hole, the whole body can follow. They can climb brick walls. We have watched one climb tup the bricks using the little concrete indentions for support and it got on the window ledge. Also saw a snake climbing up a door jab...looked like it was going for the door knob.
Lights haven't stopped snakes in my hen house. Brooder lights don't deter them either.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
jcatblum
Mitzi snakes can climb tress so yes they will climb your walls. My nesting boxes are 4 ft off the ground & the snakes are more than happy to work there into the nest boxes. Sorry you are battling the snakes. Stupid stupid snakes!!!! I used to not mind snakes so much but they really have become a thorn in my side. The deer netting has done more for us than every other trick we have tried. I LOVE deer netting!!!!
Saw the weatherman was saying nice things earlier today. Hope we really do stay below 100 for a few days! My garden & birds would appreciate it VERY much!
May have to invest in some deer netting. Looking forward to some cooler temps even if it is just a few degrees.
Son in law gave me a portable puppy pen made of eight 2 x 2.5 foot panels about 16 linear feet. I'm going to attach it to an existing pen and then cover it and use it for a day pen for some of the younger chicks.
Lost a dark blue Cochin baby. It was inside under a swamp cooler and was fine this morning....running and playing and eatting and drinking.
