Colorado

[Pozees]

My chickens survived last night pretty well. When I got home I just needed to give them some water and about 4 cups of scratch, so they can generate some heat for tonight. It is currently 10.2 in the coop at the moment and it is -12 outside. I did get six eggs today. down from 8 the day before. When it gets this cold they like to cram themselves into the nesting boxes and share their heat. I just dont have the heart to shoo them out.
I am starting to save more eggs for the wine-o-bators next hatch. The test eggs went on lockdown this evening. I candled also. Everything looks good. I only had one quitter. So 14 are going into lockdown. I will update and let everyone know when the chicks start to hatch in my experimental home made incubator. I do need to modify a couple of things. I need a way of getting water into the water tray without opening the door and I need to place a wire grid on the hatching surface of the hatching tray, to hold the eggs in place, as the eggs roll around too much for my liking.
On a different note. my furnace went out last night. It got down to 50 in the house before I realized it. The incubator didn't miss a lick. It maintained the temp inside really well. It was reading 100 when I checked on it. I had to fire up the pellet stove that I installed in the basement this fall. This raised the temp in the house to 62 in no time, even though it was -12 this morning. Its always good to have a back up plan.

Wow, thank goodness you have the pellet stove!

For eggs in the hatching tray, a couple of options, if you have room for hatching upright, would be the bottom half of egg cartons, or plastic egg trays like this

I have a couple of these I use, and if I have more than 30 going to hatcher I add a carton bottom. I like that they can be washed and disinfected; after I use them I just wash in soap and water along with the plastic tray that holds water, the screen that covers it, and the plastic shelf liner that I put over the screen so the chicks get better footing. All these items plus the styrofoam bottom of the hatcher get washed and sprayed with Oxine after every hatch, air dried, then put back together the night before I'm going to start it back up. These plastic egg trays are on ebay, currently $2.99 each plus shipping. I don't sell them, I just bought them after someone recommended them to me, and I like them. Bob hates them, he is convinced I will lose chicks getting their legs caught in the holes. It hasn't happened yet, and I've used them for 5 or 6 hatches now. I had the same concern but the person who recommended has used for many more hatches than I have and has not had chicks get caught in them.

 

[Mtn Margie]

It was -18 night before last and warmed up last night to a balmy 8 this am. (Cold air sinks!)

No heat for my birds and really when you think about it, I am not seeing all of those tiny sparrows dropping dead from the cold so I am pretty sure our sheltered and well fed birds will be a-okay.

8am It is now 16! Woo Hoo!

 

[yawningreyhound]

Hi guys! Couple things:

Murdoch's has a 30% coupon (when you buy $30 in "critter food") off one clothing or footwear item in their last mailer. (darn! i just bought my Bogs! and a new belt! could've saved $30 on the Bogs....)

It's -9 here in Pinewood Springs (outside of Lyons) and it appears the girls kept the low in the coop at -5 (lowest overnight outside was -10).

The mash was better received today as I put some whole grains from my breadmaking stash in there, along with a few raisins, less chicken chow (lead girl says YES! to that), and sprinkled BOSS on top. They didn't immediately head to the water so thanks BYC for convincing me to take the water out at night (which just freezes anyway).

I'm about ready to cry over this weather.

I'm a colorado native and this is not the way it's supposed to be!

Warm thoughts to all! I see the jays and the chickadees and woodpeckers are awaiting something to eat that's not covered in snow!

And it warmed up to -8 while I typed this.

The sun looks iffy today; at least sun in the coop run cheers things up a bit!

Mtn Margie..... that's what keeps me going...all those teeny tiny birds at our feeder are surviving these temps; our big ol' fluffy chickens in a nice coop have it all over the wildlife.

 

[suncatcher]

I have used the Gurney coupon too, and have had really good luck with plants and seeds bought from them. I just started buying from Baker Creek for their heirloom seeds, as I want to be able to save seeds from year to year. Will be planting more tomato this year, but ones that are good for colder climates, like Brave General (collected in Kazakhstan), Anna, a Russian tomato, and Koralik.

Pozee I have that exact same egg tray bought off ebay, have not hatched any in it, as I usually take them out, but will try it your way next time.

I have been checking out straw bale buildings for several years now, and considered doing a small strawbale coop. It was minus 8 in the coop night before last, but everyone made it. They were all poofed up sitting on their perches at sunset, so guess they have enough insulation.

It amazes me that so many people buy and build houses here without a fireplace, they can be converted with a fireplace insert with relative ease. Is nice to have a back up for heat in our area. Some scientists claim our temps will get cooler as more fresh water from the ice mixes with the sea water. I am starting to wonder if "they" are right!

 

[BlueJaye]

Looking for a good home for this little guy. He's about 10 weeks old. Buff Silkie/White Leghorn Cross. Very sweet, and hand raised but protective of his girls. He is bantam sized, has feathered legs and a cream/light buff coloring with one black tail feather. Located in Littleton, or can maybe make other arrangements. Please help!

I'm actually not having as great of luck as I would have thought! He's free, just need to find him a new home!

 

[CoMtnGal]

Greetings all,

My name is Connie and I'm in Loveland, CO. Been here for 8.5 years, before that, Montrose for 18, and grew up a hippie kid in Boulder etc.

I've had chickens most of my adult life, but for a chicken-less stint of 10 years. We moved to this house in September of 2012, chickens added spring of 2013. We then lost half our birds in the Big Flood. 30+ inches of water on our whole place. Lots of damage to shop and grounds - minimal overall to the house. Thankfully we had flood insurance, but that didn't help the trauma!

We are mostly back together now, thankfully. I have recently been enlightened about breeder/ show quality birds, and found a flock of Blue Laced Red Wyandottes, that I now own. They are 2-4 years old and I'm hoping to get lots of eggs this spring. Sue Sterling lines. I'm also interested in Blues/Blacks/Splash - Blue Wyandottes and just had a shipment of 10 chicks in from Nittany Wyandottes. They are pretty little babies!

I'll be adding from 3 good breeders of BLR's in the next month, 10 chicks each, so I'll have a good group to start with. I used to show top quality Alpine and Oberhasli goats, horses, rabbits, and am currently showing 2 mini dachshunds. Why I didn't do SQ chickens before is beyond me. Maybe 'cause I was raising children? My hubby and I have 11 - 7 mine, 3 his, one ours. Last one is almost 17 and I can hardly believe that.

I have a small mixed flock of hatchery birds, that I'll phase out eventually, but they are flood survivors.. Plus I had ordered the rare pullet mix from McMurray's - 50 and only 15 survived, gah! Not replacing them but going to focus on the wyandottes - oh and maybe some top Ameraucanas.

Since it's been so cold, I've been doing a LOT of reading here. Just got caught up with the last months or so of this thread. Good reading!

I have 1.35 acres with a 60x40 fenced garden. I'll be starting plants next week and am planning on growing LOTS of flowers this year. I live on a busy street and hope to sell some flowers and eggs.

Good to be here!

Connie - who needs to figure out how to add a signature.

 

[Mtn Margie]

Greetings all,

My name is Connie and I'm in Loveland, CO. Been here for 8.5 years, before that, Montrose for 18, and grew up a hippie kid in Boulder etc.

I've had chickens most of my adult life, but for a chicken-less stint of 10 years. We moved to this house in September of 2012, chickens added spring of 2013. We then lost half our birds in the Big Flood. 30+ inches of water on our whole place. Lots of damage to shop and grounds - minimal overall to the house. Thankfully we had flood insurance, but that didn't help the trauma!

We are mostly back together now, thankfully. I have recently been enlightened about breeder/ show quality birds, and found a flock of Blue Laced Red Wyandottes, that I now own. They are 2-4 years old and I'm hoping to get lots of eggs this spring. Sue Sterling lines. I'm also interested in Blues/Blacks/Splash - Blue Wyandottes and just had a shipment of 10 chicks in from Nittany Wyandottes. They are pretty little babies!

I'll be adding from 3 good breeders of BLR's in the next month, 10 chicks each, so I'll have a good group to start with. I used to show top quality Alpine and Oberhasli goats, horses, rabbits, and am currently showing 2 mini dachshunds. Why I didn't do SQ chickens before is beyond me. Maybe 'cause I was raising children? My hubby and I have 11 - 7 mine, 3 his, one ours. Last one is almost 17 and I can hardly believe that.

I have a small mixed flock of hatchery birds, that I'll phase out eventually, but they are flood survivors.. Plus I had ordered the rare pullet mix from McMurray's - 50 and only 15 survived, gah! Not replacing them but going to focus on the wyandottes - oh and maybe some top Ameraucanas.

Since it's been so cold, I've been doing a LOT of reading here. Just got caught up with the last months or so of this thread. Good reading!

I have 1.35 acres with a 60x40 fenced garden. I'll be starting plants next week and am planning on growing LOTS of flowers this year. I live on a busy street and hope to sell some flowers and eggs.

Good to be here!

Connie - who needs to figure out how to add a signature.

Good to have you here!

 

[cluckcluckgirl]

Greetings all,

My name is Connie and I'm in Loveland, CO. Been here for 8.5 years, before that, Montrose for 18, and grew up a hippie kid in Boulder etc.

I've had chickens most of my adult life, but for a chicken-less stint of 10 years. We moved to this house in September of 2012, chickens added spring of 2013. We then lost half our birds in the Big Flood. 30+ inches of water on our whole place. Lots of damage to shop and grounds - minimal overall to the house. Thankfully we had flood insurance, but that didn't help the trauma!

We are mostly back together now, thankfully. I have recently been enlightened about breeder/ show quality birds, and found a flock of Blue Laced Red Wyandottes, that I now own. They are 2-4 years old and I'm hoping to get lots of eggs this spring. Sue Sterling lines. I'm also interested in Blues/Blacks/Splash - Blue Wyandottes and just had a shipment of 10 chicks in from Nittany Wyandottes. They are pretty little babies!

I'll be adding from 3 good breeders of BLR's in the next month, 10 chicks each, so I'll have a good group to start with. I used to show top quality Alpine and Oberhasli goats, horses, rabbits, and am currently showing 2 mini dachshunds. Why I didn't do SQ chickens before is beyond me. Maybe 'cause I was raising children? My hubby and I have 11 - 7 mine, 3 his, one ours. Last one is almost 17 and I can hardly believe that.

I have a small mixed flock of hatchery birds, that I'll phase out eventually, but they are flood survivors.. Plus I had ordered the rare pullet mix from McMurray's - 50 and only 15 survived, gah! Not replacing them but going to focus on the wyandottes - oh and maybe some top Ameraucanas.

Since it's been so cold, I've been doing a LOT of reading here. Just got caught up with the last months or so of this thread. Good reading!

I have 1.35 acres with a 60x40 fenced garden. I'll be starting plants next week and am planning on growing LOTS of flowers this year. I live on a busy street and hope to sell some flowers and eggs.

Good to be here!

Connie - who needs to figure out how to add a signature.

And welcome to the thread!

 

[maggiemo]

welcome comtngal!!
Great to have you here. I want to see pictures of everything, especially the 2 mini dachshunds!

 

[BlueJaye]

Welcome CoMtnGirl! I'm in Ft Collins, glad to see another "Northerner" on here!