Alaska Chicken Lover's Soup for the Cold!!

[Mrs MIA]

Amen!

 

[Wolfwoman]

That's the story I told on another thread and someone called me an animal abuser... needless to say I wasn't very polite to them.

 

[AllAlaskan]

ok, Im using a Camper and the windows are the old style like 5 or 6 small glass peices that all open up at the same time when you open the window but when you open it they all slighly point down a little to keep the breeze out plus I have half the run covered top and sides up agaisnt the coop so I open those windows on that side and the door is on that side so I some times open the window on the door to keep the air fresh.

Next year though I really want to build a good coop thats made FOR CHICKENS lol not like the camper thats rigged to work. I figured I would have 2-3 roosts and have the nest boxes off to one side ect. Also I was thinking where the chicken door is for htem to come in and out I was thinking about raising the whole coop about 2 feet off the gound and where the door goes out for the chickens kinda having it drop down like a foot then have the door so the wind wont blow in through the door. I was thinking a 8x12 foot coop. I plan on getting more chickens in the spring and even my current set up would be big enuph I would like something that has more usable space. The Camper would have to be completely gutted to do that and I think it wouldnt be much more just to build a whole new coop that I could make with chickens in mind. I will use the dogrun for the chicken run like I am now, it works great. Just one of those "one of those days" things lol.

I was going to get a heated dog dish for the chickens but the wifes car is broke down so I have to get it up and going again before I can spend any money (aside from feed) on the chickens atm.

 

[AllAlaskan]

Quote:
I just read your story and laphed, I have cats outside (they keep the rodents away) and they were my brothers and he left em here when I moved in and he moved out. Well they like to go without using a litter box so I kicked them outside, wont have an animal peeing and pooping in the house. Well they have been outside a year and are doing just fine. I tried to find them new homes but seems like no one wants a cat any more. They catch there own food find there water and are just fine. That said I dont see why you "abused" your chickens lol. They had shelter, they had food and they ate snow for water (Like MANY MANY MANY animals in Alaska do!) so who ever told you that you abused your chickens has no idea what its like to live up here. Again, goes back to what I said about out of staters who think they can tell us what to do who have no idea what its like to live up here.

 

[Wolfwoman]

My chickens live in a trailer

One group is in a bedroom, and the other in an addition. Works great.

For water, I have 4 milk jugs with nipple waterers in them, one in each coop, 2 by the woodstove, I switch them out in the morning. If the weather turns very cold I'm sure I'll switch midday too. However, I've discovered that the chickens that can go outside drink about 1/3 the amount of water from the bottle as the ones that are only inside. They PREFER snow.

 

[Mrs MIA]

My friend down the street says she puts snow in the rabbit's water dishes... doesn't use water. I think I"m going to try it. My hand gets tired of smacking those dang metal bowls on something to knock the ice out.

 

[Wolfwoman]

Yea I give up on those come freeze...LOL I bought some rubber ones for when we move to the cabin, can just twist it out. But I like the switch out better, AND I prefer the nipple waterers as there's less mess, and more important when you don't have running water - no WASTE of water.

 

[PaulaJoAnne]

Hey Bonnie! Good to meet you yesterday!

 

[Wolfwoman]

Quote:
Heya!! You too! Hope the drive home was uneventful!!

 

[PaulaJoAnne]

SO, I am messing around with my blog, so it looks all spiffy for the huge Media Blizt we are doing Friday, and I am pulling my hair out trying to figure out this new "pages" option.
It sure would help clean up my sidebars if I can transfer stuff over!