Black Acres: The chickens that saved me

[Ponypoor]

I have an OE that lays blue….

I can't wait to see what the two 14 week old pullets lay, the ones mum lays light blue while the others mum lays light chocolatey brown eggs who know what the Roo throws into the mix...

 

[blackacres]

I bought a heated waterer last week and I love be it!!!! So happy I bought it no more frozen water, and the chickies are drinking more water as the chill is taken out of it.

I am absolutely going to save back some egg money to purchase at least two heated drinkers for next Winter. I’ll get them sooner if I come across a good sale but we’re at least halfway though the frozen water part of our winter this year. Right now I’m using rubber bowls because they’re flexible and easy to get the ice out of and I carry gallon jugs of water out every 2-3 hours from sun up to sun down. It’s not always pleasant, but I suppose that’s why they call it a chore.

 

[Ponypoor]

I am absolutely going to save back some egg money to purchase at least two heated drinkers for next Winter. I’ll get them sooner if I come across a good sale but we’re at least halfway though the frozen water part of our winter this year. Right now I’m using rubber bowls because they’re flexible and easy to get the ice out of and I carry gallon jugs of water out every 2-3 hours from sun up to sun down. It’s not always pleasant, but I suppose that’s why they call it a chore.

Yep that's true.

How about a heating pad under those rubber run waterers.

Water is my least favorite thing at any time, I am just now after 33 years going to get a hot water tank in the barn , I got one of those 2.5 gallon ones. Can't wait for it to be hooked up!

I too have to carry jugs of hot water to the barn to mix feed etc. Hate winter...

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Finished page 4, working through it. Just wanted to say the coop and run are lovely and i will definitely be stealing that design down the road

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Here is a rough draft of the Serama Shed plans. There will be 8 cages total placed 2 wide and 2 high. They will be on shelves along the East and West walls, so 4 cages on each side. There will be a storage cabinets at the back as well as one directly on the West inside the entry on the door. Small table at the front on the East wall for tabletop show training.
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All of the insulation for the shed was purchased last night. We are expecting our first round of Winter weather with snow and ice starting tomorrow night and into Saturday and temps are expected to drop into the negative. So tomorrow I will need to first concentrate my energy on preparing the main coop with some extra bedding and keeping their water from freezing. I hope to feel well enough to get started hanging insulation after that.

Did you use an app to design that?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Its not heated, but we have thay same exact blanket. Minus the birds inhabiting it

Of course! This one is my favorite.
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They enjoy hanging out in the kitchen while I make dinner.
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They also love to snuggle with the heated blanket.
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[JacinLarkwell]

Also-- love your profile pic! Finally, a silkie with FEATHERS instead of fur!!

It's a satin. They're pretty common, actually

 

[Luv Ducks]

She’s doing well! I’m good too. Just been keeping a close eye on her and serving as her personal chef and waitress along with all of my other daily tasks so I’ve been very busy. Thank you for checking!

The cold fingers is what gets me. I’ve yet to find gloves that are good for chores. Warm gloves are bulky and make chores difficult and thinner gloves aren’t warm!

I managed to find some snowmobile gloves at our Menards in Ohio last year. They are a bit bulky but soooooo warm and totally water proof. I have ducks and they keep my fingers totally warm. My hands are normally freezing even in warmer weather. They are totally waterproof made of like rubber on the outside and lined nicely on the inside. I love them. I hope you can find something like this to keep your hands warm.

 

[Happy hen lover]

A few days ago we had a bright, sunny day so the chooks took full advantage and came out to forage for scratch. The splash up front is one of my new layers. She’s a Marans mix so she’s giving me beautiful dark brown eggs!
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Sammy’s teenager hormones have finally caught up to him and he’s been a bit of a starter lately. He does well with correction and redirection though and I think he’s absolutely gorgeous.
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Sammy the calico roo

 

[Happy hen lover]

Yep that's true.

How about a heating pad under those rubber run waterers.

Water is my least favorite thing at any time, I am just now after 33 years going to get a hot water tank in the barn , I got one of those 2.5 gallon ones. Can't wait for it to be hooked up!

I too have to carry jugs of hot water to the barn to mix feed etc. Hate winter...

I put stock tank heater (that goes on @36°) in trash can with horizontal nipples after last year's polar artic H.LL!!!!
And it has so far kept it from freezing up and nipples even work.! I'm so impressed so far.
I know they love warm water even more tho (which we have in raised coop)
but if there's no snow and they're outside they like water @ their level LAZY GIRLS