Colorado

[PirateGirl]

We survived the blizzard! We live along the stretch of 285 that was shut down Friday-Sunday for blizzard conditions. It was the worst I've seen it in the 4 years I've lived there and someone else we know that's lived there 15+ years says it's the worst he's seen as well. It wasn't even really safe to walk from the house to the coops (25 yards away). The sustained winds were 40mph and the gusts way more. The birds were stressed for sure and conditions even in the coops were not ideal (they've done several winters in these coops but this storm was something else), but everyone is ok, we only lost our trash can and some shingles!

 

[Mtn Margie]

I am very glad that you and your birds are okay! We had 90+ winds and the snowplow got stuck.
It took a road grader with all blades down as an anchor for a semi-truck tow truck to pull it out of the ditch and snow drifts. Just lovely up here I tell ya. Power out here and there and phones were out until today but I think we have come back into the modern ages.

 

[PirateGirl]

@Mtn Margie yes, the power kept cutting in and out. I can’t even count the number of times it went out. I am thankful we were able to keep the wood stove going. When it’s that windy it doesn’t always vent right, but it did pretty well.

 

[aliciaplus3]

We had a small 3 hour power outage here night before last... I was able to keep my incubators covered and warm, but the neighbor up the valley had chicks trying to hatch.... only one made it.

 

[Mtn Margie]

Oh, that bites hard. I have had an incubator going and also young chicks, but that loss when they are hatching is the worst timing possible. This year, I am working on getting my broody hens reestablished. I lost my ones a few years ago to a bobcat and just haven't been in the mood to increase my "herd", but now I am thinking that it is time to restart the home flock for real. I have some Icelandic and mutts but none have been reliable broodies.

 

[PirateGirl]

Do any of you have fertile eggs? I have a reliable broody and have had a few losses so I'm thinking about giving her some eggs in spring.

 

[aliciaplus3]

Do any of you have fertile eggs? I have a reliable broody and have had a few losses so I'm thinking about giving her some eggs in spring.

I do but I am way over on the western slope.

 

[PirateGirl]

I do but I am way over on the western slope.

Thanks. I will keep it in mind. I'll probably post something again come spring once she goes broody again (like 4 times a summer usually).

 

[lomine]

Hey everyone, it's been a while. To the newcomers, "Welcome to the CO thread!"

I didn't get much snow here, maybe a few inches. We were in the mountains last weekend getting our Christmas tree, near Fairplay. I got my truck stuck in the snow but luckily managed to get myself unstuck.

@PirateGirl if you ever come my way you are more than welcome to fertile eggs. Of course many aren't laying now. My full size boys are both pure for blue eggs so all their offspring would be Easter Eggers. Also a chance for pure Ameraucana and CCL. I also have Silkies now. The Silkie cockerel only seems to mate the Silkie pullets but there could be mixing. Also have WH and Saxony ducks. Got both pure and mixed from the eggs I hatched this summer. I kept a mix hen because she is so pretty.

I wouldn't mind doing some egg swapping with others. I'd love to see how others eggs do in my incubator and vis-versa. I'm still trying to learn better techniques and get better hatches.

 

[aliciaplus3]

Oh I Love hatching! I am always interested in trading eggs but there are few folks on this side of the mountain.