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fisherlady said:
Glad to see you back!  Even if just for a while....  our girls are busy also, and two are trying to be broody :th go figure!  I believe someone was looking for duck eggs about15 pages back or so, if you can't get totally caught up maybe they will see that your ducks are laying and repost their request.
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Not entirely sure they are fertile.........as duck's favorite partner is Del........the Delaware rooster!
 
missydcpc said:
Not entirely sure they are fertile.........as duck's favorite partner is Del........the Delaware rooster!
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stake said:
What a weird night with the chooks ....had to pull one girl inside for

tlc care.....1/2 made it back to the coop and the other half were hunkered down outside the coop....threw them in the pen and they ran for the coop.....all are locked in til this is over...nasty weather....
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Just watched our weather & they said nothing above freezing till the first part of February......yuck! I left the girls out in their run for about 45 minutes this evening right before roosting time. I gave them shredded carrots, oats and scrambled eggs for a treat & it was just easier to do in their yard. I don't like to think they are going to be cooped up all that time. I may do the treat thing again tomorrow evening right before roosting time. Their run area gets some draft but it is covered in tarps & plastic, what are y'all's thoughts on letting them out some when it is in the teens?
 
vicki5112 said:
Just watched our weather & they said nothing above freezing till the first part of February......yuck! I left the girls out in their run for about 45 minutes this evening right before roosting time. I gave them shredded carrots, oats and scrambled eggs for a treat & it was just easier to do in their yard. I don't like to think they are going to be cooped up all that time. I may do the treat thing again tomorrow evening right before roosting time. Their run area gets some draft but it is covered in tarps & plastic, what are y'all's thoughts on letting them out some when it is in the teens?
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We open the pop door and let them choose, birds with large combs may get Vaseline to protect from frostbite but that's about it. Ours have a partially covered run area with wind blocked (but not completely) by tarping, and part of the run is open with a small shed we call 'the condos' on one end of it... it has 2 levels and pop doors into each level with an 8' plank from a stump to the top floor condo pop door. The teenagers tend to hang out a lot around the condos during the day, even in bad weather. I believe them being able to get out for even short periods of time greatly reduces the stress and nerves in the coop for everyone. The birds don't seem to care about the air temp... it is wind and blowing snow or rain they try to avoid....
 
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fisherlady said:
We open the pop door and let them choose, birds with large combs may get Vaseline to protect from frostbite but that's about it. Ours have a partially covered run area with wind blocked (but not completely) by tarping, and part of the run is open with a small shed we call 'the condos' on one end of it... it has 2 levels and pop doors into each level with an 8' plank from a stump to the top floor condo pop door. The teenagers tend to hang out a lot around the condos during the day, even in bad weather. I believe them being able to get out for even short periods of time greatly reduces the stress and nerves in the coop for everyone. The birds don't seem to care about the air temp... it is wind and blowing snow or rain they try to avoid....
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Thanks for the response, I'm a new chicken mommy & I may just be a bit over protective....may be...lol The wind chill here has been minus 0 & predicted the same for the next few days at least. Once the wind dies down, I won't worry about them being out as much I think. You are actually a neighbor I see, I'm from Pittsburgh so your weather has been pretty much like mine. I go to Indiana shopping every few months, I have a friend that lives in Shelocta & I meet her at her place then we go in to Indiana. Nice country out there.
 
vicki5112 said:
Thanks for the response, I'm a new chicken mommy & I may just be a bit over protective....may be...lol The wind chill here has been minus 0 & predicted the same for the next few days at least. Once the wind dies down, I won't worry about them being out as much I think. You are actually a neighbor I see, I'm from Pittsburgh so your weather has been pretty much like mine. I go to Indiana shopping every few months, I have a friend that lives in Shelocta & I meet her at her place then we go in to Indiana. Nice country out there.
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I understand completely about the 'over protective' thing, our first winter we worried every time it got below 30*, now we open the door and let 'em go. When they are out and get soaked we turn on the heat lamps so they can set under them to dry off, which they do, often times we will see them cycle in and out of the coop through the day, going inside for an hour or so to warm up or grab a bite to eat, then it's back outside to explore and forage for whatever bits they can find... it is amazing just how much they are willing to be out. The only thing they don't like is walking in snow over about 2 inches or so deep, they do prefer to follow the paths my husband clears for them (can you tell he is still a bit overprotective??? LOL)

I am about 45 minutes North of the town of Indiana, closer to Punxsutawney actually, though I am still in Indiana County (by about a mile or so)
 
Wow, Vicki is right extended forecast is awful....currently 3 degrees and windy in my neck of the woods...its so cold the snow blower wouldn't start.....
 

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