Wisconsin "Cheeseheads"

[elmosworld]

I'm at home, worrying about the same thing! I have 9 silkie hens, and they all sat huddled up all day. I know it sounds crazy, but I am thinking of moving them inside. My coop is down to almost zero, and that is with a heater! I have 4 human kids too, and they are all snuggled up in their beds, no need to worry about them! I am a new chicken keeper, and more wimpy than most I'm afraid. If I move them inside, maybe I will get some sleep tomorrow night

 

[corewassen87]

I know they're just fine. They're tough animals I'm just overly protective of them is all. I can't say I've ever had thoughts of bringing them inside tho so you got me beat

 

[Cindlady]

Hi All!

Making German Potato Salad for Hubby, 5+ lbs. of potatoes, maybe 2 days worth.

Glad you Packer fans got your win!

Night All.

 

[bigzio]

Yep, frozen tundra here too. It was 12 degrees in the insulated coop this morning and -8 outside....I forgot to check the temp in the other coop without insulation, but it was prolly 0 in there is my guess.

Nice Packer win for sure...glad the queens are out of the hunt!

The wood boiler is eating a little more wood now with the cold temps....can be expected for sure.

Stay Warm....bigz

 

[brentonc]

It was about 8 below in my coop this am and the girls didn't seem to care to all. Yesterday they stayed in the coop all day but today they got smarter and went to the attached greenhouse - much cozier!

 

[Celtic Chick]

You said it Bigz. I am glad the queens are out of it too.

Chickens, especially the larger breeds, do tend to handle the cold better than the heat. If your coop is well insulated & vented, they should be fine without an extra heat source. My coop is not insulated so I use heat lamps and heated water bases. Even in the coldest years, I haven't have any losses. I have a really big coop too. If your coop is small, it might not get as cold with 9 banty hens, Elmo. They will huddle together to keep themselves warm. I have noticed that my banties stick closer to the heat lamps even during the day, unlike my LF. As long as you have a heat source, I am sure they will be fine. Chickens are pretty darn hardy. You are just having newbie jitters. We all go through it. It will pass.

My heated water bases are keeping the water unfrozen but the sides on 2 of them are freezing up enough to not be able to open them so a heat lamp had to be placed over them. I have the big 5 gallon waterers. One of them isn't having any problems in this cold spell but the other two are.

Keep warm all! And happy birthday Terri!

 

[chickendreams24]

Hey everyone! Sorry wow I've missed too much. Hope everyone is okay been crazy busy ever since the holidays between weather and illness and emergency coop renovations-which finally led to us spending this last weekend cleaning out a different building here that was storage to use for the time being as a coop. An old "cooler" from when my DH2B showed cattle the AC unit was sold this summer but the building is still sound and very well insulated. We don't have a thermometer in there but it is quite noticeably warmer in there. Last night the main flock moved out there and tonight the "littles"(silkie group, bantam cochin and three of our four oegb) who are definitely not little any more got moved out there too. I'm worried about squabbles but I know there will be some I'm hoping since they all free range together that there will not be any bad fights but of course I know the pecking order must be established.

Oddly our silkies tend to deal with the cold better despite several of our other birds including the oegb which I know are at a disadvantage because of their small size. I have noticed that yesterday before they got moved to the "cooler" a few of the birds have developed some minor frost bite. Most of them I'm not worried about but I do worry about an oegb rooster of ours that has the worst of it he has been out with the big flock since they went out and hasn't had any problems until yesterday. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

The flock will be staying in for the next couple days assuming none of the roos need to be removed the space could easily hold double the birds so I feel okay about it and they have been getting a lot of goodies. It still worries me a bit.

If anyone is interested we're planning to make room this spring for some new birds nothing wrong with the ones we're planning to down size no bad habbits and not aggressive just too many birds. We're planning on re-homing;
- (2) white silkies should be a pair bearded but not huge crests
- (2) Isa browns
This is all for now. They're about 7 and 8 months old.

 

[irishrovr]

Happy 2016 to all!! Hope everyone is staying warm! Love that Packer win, though I have to admit I had my doubts in the beginning. Let's pray they keep it all together through the Super Bowl!

Does anyone know what swaps are on the calendar for 2016? The only one I've been able to find so far is Neillsville on May 14th.

Mama and her chick are living in a dog carrier in the barn lined with some nice, soft hay for the duration, Orloffs are in the tractor with a heat lamp and the rest are in the coop getting a tan. Bunnies don't seem to mind the cold but keeping them in fresh water is a real pain. Next week should be better for that.

 

[corewassen87]

Happy 2016 to all!!  Hope everyone is staying warm!  Love that Packer win, though I have to admit I had my doubts in the beginning.  Let's pray they keep it all together through the Super Bowl!

Does anyone know what swaps are on the calendar for 2016?  The only one I've been able to find so far is Neillsville on May 14th.

Mama and her chick are living in a dog carrier in the barn lined with some nice, soft hay for the duration, Orloffs are in the tractor with a heat lamp and the rest are in the coop getting a tan.  Bunnies don't seem to mind the cold but keeping them in fresh water is a real pain.  Next week should be better for that.

According to the website neilsville will have no poultry. Bummer

 

[Cindlady]

Hi All!

Nothing New

Night All!