Recent content by jkraze

  1. jkraze

    Raising baby chicks in the winter?

    As long as winter this years isn't as brutal as last, I think they'll be okay. Just be very careful with heat sources like the infra-red lamp. It needs to be mounted away from any combustible surfaces. Buff Orps feather out nicely, and they should be okay in the cold.
  2. jkraze

    Raising baby chicks in the winter?

    We had ours in a large brooder box in our garage, and it got very dusty in their. (It sucked not having my workbench.) We kept them warm with an infra-red heat lamp mounted above the box lid.
  3. jkraze

    Raising baby chicks in the winter?

    I just ordered an EcoGlow from Amazon, and it should arrive Tuesday. The reviews were awesome! It should be much safer, and save on electricity, too. Now if they only made one for the coop, for those single-digit days! Thanks for the tip!
  4. jkraze

    Raising baby chicks in the winter?

    The problem with using a regular light bulb as opposed to an infrared heat lamp is that you'll mess up their sleep cycle. Plus, the light bulb won't offer as much heat. Always have a bulb with a guard on it, and keep it as far away from flammables as possible! Once they've feathered in enough...
  5. jkraze

    Raising baby chicks in the winter?

    I would not keep them in the house. Your garage should be fine, with an infrared heat lamp. You'll want to keep them in a brooder box for several weeks at first.
  6. jkraze

    Raising baby chicks in the winter?

    I only use the heat lamp when the temps get into the single digits, and keep it well out of the way of anything flammable.
  7. jkraze

    Raising baby chicks in the winter?

    Doesn't it get a bit too cold to be raising chickens in AK (in the winter) without a heat source?
  8. jkraze

    Comment by 'jkraze' in item 'Orpington'

    We have found that the more you handle chickens when they are young, the better adults they become. Maybe they'd be better if they had more of their own breed to interact with.
    • jkraze
    • Review comment
  9. jkraze

    Raising baby chicks in the winter?

    I ran an extension to my coop last winter and it did pretty well, actually. It's plugged into a GFCI outlet on the back porch, so in case anything goes awry, it should shut off. BTW, we just got 10 new chicks this week (hatched 11/6), so we'll be keeping them in our garaged brooder box for a...
  10. jkraze

    Comment by 'jkraze' in article 'summer/winter chicken nipple waterer'

    I built my version using your plans this week, and it came out pretty good! I used a different cooler, so the issue I had with that was the connection - I ended up using my dremel to bore out the inside of a 1/2" pvc, and glued it on. I couldn't get the tube to stay on with a clamp, but the...
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    • Article comment
  11. jkraze

    Comment by 'jkraze' in article 'summer/winter chicken nipple waterer'

    I'm planning on building something similar to what you've designed, but I'm thinking about adding some heat tape around the nipple pipe. It would only need to be turned on during the coldest days, and might keep me from having to resort to an alternate watering method when it drops to 10 degrees...
    • jkraze
    • Article comment
  12. jkraze

    Dandelions

    I wonder if there's a similar group in the U.S.? I was all "eggcited" to adopt a rescue chicken, and realized you're in the UK!
  13. jkraze

    Comment by 'jkraze' in article 'Chickens Loosing Feathers? Managing Your Flock's Molt'

    Thanks for your article. One of my 6 Black Australorps just started moulting, and it's a disconcerting sight! I've also read that the less productive layers will moult first - is that your experience? Jay
    • jkraze
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  14. jkraze

    Comment by 'jkraze' in item 'Australorp'

    Sorry to hear about your loss. We love our Australorps, too. One of our six is named Karla, and she polices the surrounding area while the rest are having a snack. She tries to keep the Buffs and SLW's away from the goodies!
    • jkraze
    • Review comment
  15. jkraze

    19 and a half weeks old and still no eggs :( egg countdown anyone??

    My first year Australorps are still laying, although they have slacked off a bit. My younger Buff Orps have just started laying at 22 weeks, so I don't think you'll need to push them with artificial light. It is a shame that you had to actually BUY eggs! I feel your pain!
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