Colorado

[trsturself]

It is 4deg out and snowing steadily here. We have about 3-4 inches already. I'm glad I covered the smaller enclosure for the chickens (we have 3 progressively larger areas they can go in ending with the whole backyard). They aren't venturing past that snow free zone today. Even our husky mix who loves the cold is staying inside this morning. lol

brr! Glad I don't have anywhere to be today!

 

[suncatcher]

Wow, that is chilly! Fifteen degrees here at 8200 feet, not sure what our low was last night. Definately a hot cocoa morning!!! Terrible wind all night, then it aburptly stopped early this morning. We have less than an inch of snow, but is still snowing lightly.

Nice turkey hotel Wendy!!! Bet they were toasty warm in there, would have been very cold in their tree.

I have noticed that I am feeding more since I stopped the FF for the winter, but could also be they are consuming more because the colder temps.

 

[Chick N Mama]

Glad to say I managed to recover four eggs this morning that hadn't frozen yet. In Northern CO we are holding at a toasty 7* with a forecast low of MINUS ELEVEN. Heat wave compared to tomorrow's forecast. Glad my girls are winter hardy. My littlest won't leave the coop but the others are braving it out. Anyone else chilly today?

 

[Ashdoes]

I recently decided to start the FF again. We got a short, but large around 20 gallon bucket, and I'm making larger batches in the garage. I had to stop because carrying the five gallon buckets was really taking its toll on an already sensitive shoulder. Every morning I get five scoops into a smaller container, and take it to the chickens when I open the barn for them. It was very cold last night, but the FF was bubbling and not at all frozen this morning. I think I've gotten it to about a whole bag at a time, but it took a while to work up to that amount, since I wasn't sure how much the container would hold.
Putting my birds on feather fixer really helped. My poor Cochin girls were having the hardest time growing back their cushions, and now they're beautiful and warm again. They still aren't laying, but we're fine with that. I'm hoping to be done with feather fixer after our last two bags, it's a lot of protein and happens to cost about two dollars more then the all-flock I had them on.
It's cold and windy here in Peyton. Hubby is hoping for a lot more snow since he was gone for our first winter last year....I may get a picture of him making a snow angel.
Oh! Over Thanksgiving break my sister and her family came to visit, and we took them up Pikes Peak. It is beautiful and I suggest everyone go up. It's a great day trip.

 

[saellis]

I have noticed that I am feeding more since I stopped the FF for the winter, but could also be they are consuming more because the colder temps.

Interesting that you are feeding more now. Since my hens' laying has slowed down, they are eating less than they did during the summer. Yesterday my six girls ate less than 14 oz of feed. They typically ate nearly double that in the summer even though they were also eating their fill of grasshoppers.

 

[suncatcher]

I may go back to FF, as they seem to do better on it, but is such a pain to make it without it freezing. Nice that you have a garage to ferment in!

Yep, mine free ranged some this summer, and ate tons of bugs so they did not need much feed. I am now feeding double what I was during the summer. Hmmmm, My girls just started laying again this past week, they are older, two, three, and four years of age. Are yours from this years hatch????

 

[WendyGeisler]

This morning we opened the doors to the chicken coops, and freed the turkeys from their "hotel".

Around 2 pm, I went outside to check on everyone, and saw the 2 turkeys walking around the run. But no sign of the chickens. I looked in the coops, and still didn't see them... I started to get worried, then I looked in the doggie house "turkey hotel" and found 20 chickens inside. The poor turkeys, they were stuck outside because the chickens had taken over.
The chickens are all put to bed early, it's 4 degrees here, and the turkeys now have the option of going back in their hotel. I don't think I will enforce their bed time till dark.

 

[Pozees]

This morning we opened the doors to the chicken coops, and freed the turkeys from their "hotel".

Around 2 pm, I went outside to check on everyone, and saw the 2 turkeys walking around the run. But no sign of the chickens. I looked in the coops, and still didn't see them... I started to get worried, then I looked in the doggie house "turkey hotel" and found 20 chickens inside. The poor turkeys, they were stuck outside because the chickens had taken over.
The chickens are all put to bed early, it's 4 degrees here, and the turkeys now have the option of going back in their hotel. I don't think I will enforce their bed time till dark.

LOL they are like all of us, the grass always looks greener, huh?

We opened the doors, the Fayoumis barely made an appearance, the RIR and Sussex and Partridge Rocks all came out, and the Silkie pen that's allowed to free range was very unhappy they were not allowed to today. Closed up the doors around 4:45 when all were safely ensconced in their houses. Bob lowered the heat lamp about an inch over the chicks in the brooder while I was at work, in fact he opened all the doors and kept watch over the birds all day today as I was at work by 5:38 this morning. He called to report on all their activity. I have to say I love having him home and able and willing to do so I did leave work at 3:30 so I could get home before dark, I don't like evening traffic in the dark when the roads are questionable. Don't really like morning roads that way either, but evening traffic seems a bit more nuts.

Mtn Margie, how are things up your way?

 

[trsturself]

I went out at 4 to check on the birds and collect any eggs. Our larger girls (BR, BA, and Cochin) were walking around like the were fine, everyone else was huddled under the coop. The polish looked pathetic with their crests half frozen and flopping, and our little D'Uccle had one foot up and was shivering. I had a 100w light bulb out there but it couldn't combat the weather. It kept their water from completely freezing though so I guess it did it's job. I brought DH's work lamp out there that gets nice and hot. I went out to put them up a little around 5:15 and they were all running around feeling much better. I had to put them all to bed. I moved the work lamp closer and shined it on the outside of the coop. Hopefully that gives them a little bit more warmth tonight.
Only the rabbit ventured out into the snow but I caught her right away and put her back in the enclosed area.
It's going to be even colder tomorrow!

 

[Mtn Margie]

It is a bit crispy up here this am. -13 for the low and made the kids walk to the bus in -8 because at least there is no wind at the moment. My chickens were out for the morning yesterday and then sporadically until 3. Don't know what they will do today but I am guessing - mad dash for scratch and then back in to glare woefully at me for somehow this being my fault.