Colorado

[Ashdoes]

Our cream legbar Roos got frostbite last year, and lost the top half of their combs, and bottom of their wattles. It's like giving them a crew cut, but they didn't suffer any permanent issues from it.
One of my Cream mixes laid a beautiful olive egg today, not sure which one, Wyandotte or Cochin...I'll have to catch them in the act. I hope they both lay anything but brown, so I can tell between Cochin and others eggs next season.
Still nothing in the trap...wondering if I need a different bait? Or, if it really is too cold for it to come back? Frustrated with it.

 

[Percheron chick]

If anyone needs an extra coop, Looks good for the price. I'd go get it but I'm not getting off the sofa!!!
http://boulder.craigslist.org/grd/4760994799.html

 

[COChix]

Well, was away from BYC for almost a week and had a lot of catching up to do. Sorry to hear about those who had issues due to the recent weather. Also glad to hear from all who have found a way to make it through My first "winter" with chickens, so I'm learning as I go and all your input here has been very valuable.....

This morning I noticed that my 2 buff orp roosters both suffered freeze/frost damage to their combs and wattles   None of the other chickens, rooster or hens had a problem. There was no condensation in either of the coops, and both are well ventilated with near floor venting outside the enclosures and full length eve venting as well as gable venting at both ends. I did close the windows to prevent wind directly on the roost area. Tonight is not supposed to be AS cold, but cooling back down again in the days ahead...


The roo on the left is the alpha (can you tell?) The one on the right gets chased off the floor back onto the roosts virtually any time he dares to come down. I have to stand there and hand feed him (twice a day) to make sure he gets some food, or stand guard to allow him to eat and keep the alpha away from him while he eats. The other 2 groups that have multiple roos do NOT present this problem.

Hey Late, I didn't know you had two BO roos, so do we and they get along fine. I found it interesting what you were saying about yours. Did you raise them together? One of our BO roos was being picked on and chased off the feeding stations when we had two RIR roos that were pretty aggressive, once we put those two in then freezer then that issue resolved. The boys peacefully co-exists without major issues. Sure the alpha will chase the other one, or run him off while he is mating with certain females, but no fights. Do you have multiple feeding stations with your various set up? It definitely decreases the territoral issues between the roosters around the food. When we had 4 Roos, I had three stations and this definitely helped. Anyway your boys are handsome, how old? Are they from a breeder or hatchery? Here is a shot of our two....

Rocco - alpha

Bruno

Oh and your brave, as soon as it got cold, I quickly gave up fermenting the gangs feed. Will be getting fodder going sooner rather than later.

 

[Latestarter]

Hey Late, I didn't know you had two BO roos, so do we and they get along fine. I found it interesting what you were saying about yours. Did you raise them together? One of our BO roos was being picked on and chased off the feeding stations when we had two RIR roos that were pretty aggressive, once we put those two in then freezer then that issue resolved. The boys peacefully co-exists without major issues. Sure the alpha will chase the other one, or run him off while he is mating with certain females, but no fights. Do you have multiple feeding stations with your various set up? It definitely decreases the territoral issues between the roosters around the food. When we had 4 Roos, I had three stations and this definitely helped. Anyway your boys are handsome, how old? Are they from a breeder or hatchery? Here is a shot of our two....


Oh and your brave, as soon as it got cold, I quickly gave up fermenting the gangs feed. Will be getting fodder going sooner rather than later.

Greetings COChix:

They were both purchased from Murray/McMurray hatchery, hatched/delivered around memorial day 2014 and have been raised together ever since, along with 7 BO pullets. So they are what, 5 1/2 months now? At least 3 of the pullets are now laying, possibly 4 (got 4 eggs one day but may have been one I missed from the day before). Also have found a couple on the coop floor in the pine shavings over the past few weeks (glad they didn't bury those like they do in the nest box straw).

They are all living together in the coop and there is a single feeding trough that's about 4' long and I spread their food out along the entire length. I didn't even realize there was an issue until a couple weeks ago when I noticed that when I brought their food, he would stay up on the roost... Then I noticed how thin he was compared with the alpha... I wasn't able to finish the run(s) before this weather, so they are inside birds for now... In the spring, or once I finish the run(s), I'll have to monitor things and see if it gets better... If not, I guess one of them will have to visit freezer camp. Then it comes down to which one should go...

I also have 2 Black Australorp roos with 7 BA pullets (no eggs from them yet) and they co-habitate with very little fanfare. They fluff up and chest bump every so often but not hard core fighting/chasing/denying food or water there. They are in the same coop in an equal sized enclosure right beside the BOs... Go figure? The other dual roo enclosure has a Delaware alpha roo (with 2 Delaware pullets the same age) that is about 4-6 weeks older than a White Wyandotte roo (with 7 WW pullets) all co-habitating without issues. They came with the BOs from McMurray as well at the same time. The Delawares are laying, and possibly one of the WW pullets... not sure yet as the numbers are nowhere near steady from them.

I'm not THAT brave! I had the FF made from before the freeze, and they only get it when it's warm enough out that it won't freeze solid. Other than that, they get dry mixed feed/grains in the same trough. More spillage, but not much choice. They eat it, but not as voraciously as they do the FF.
Anyway, it's been an adventure so far

More to come I'm sure! Your boys are handsome as well... a little color difference from mine I think... Stay warm!

Edited for spelling

 

[Double Kindness]

I just did rounds again. This cold is ridiculous and I can't find any heated bunny water bottles. Help? Went to Murdoch's and wardel's.

 

[trsturself]

This cold IS brutal! I'm done with winter already!
I sealed off a few of our windows with that plastic shrink wrap stuff. It helped right away. Also bought a ceramic heater for DD's room. She has a room the same size as our front room and it only has 1 vent that I can find which is behind her tv cabinet. I can't even tell if it's open or closed so her room is always freezing. She's lucky she's upstairs so she at least gets a little bit of heat from downstairs.

I have the coop door open for my flock but they are not coming out at all today.
The bucket with aquarium heater is working well for my friend's chickens.
I don't do fermented feed on cold days either. I too am hoping to get some fodder going though.

We have 4 roosters (plus two young cockerels that will not be staying) in with 18 girls. No problems now that we got rid of our one aggressive rooster. Some just get along and others don't. Hopefully once yours get out into a run they will get along better. I think our BCM rooster got a little frostbite on his comb. Doesn't look too bad, hopefully it won't get worse, and he won't lose any points.

CoChix, our rabbit drinks out of the nipples or water bowl that the chickens use. We used to keep a water bottle up for her but she never used it so I stopped putting one up. You could try other ideas. I know if they are in cages it's tougher to get something heated for small spaces. Maybe a larger bucket with heater with a pvc pipe running through the cages with nipples at each cage? Then put a pump to recirculate the warm water?
What is your setup like?

 

[COChix]

This cold IS brutal! I'm done with winter already!

LOL

I sealed off a few of our windows with that plastic shrink wrap stuff. It helped right away....

CoChix, our rabbit drinks out of the nipples or water bowl that the chickens use. We used to keep a water bottle up for her but she never used it so I stopped putting one up. You could try other ideas. I know if they are in cages it's tougher to get something heated for small spaces. Maybe a larger bucket with heater with a pvc pipe running through the cages with nipples at each cage? Then put a pump to recirculate the warm water?
What is your setup like?

. Ready? Hold onto your seat because ours is rather elaborate and works great....

The gang was out enjoying the changes to the run....pic won't load will post latter.

 

[ryan820]

The snow is really coming down here in Parker, in hidden village, at 6550'. Seems a line of energy keeps streaming over us west to east. I'm not complaining as we will enjoy the water and it makes for snuggling by the fire all the better.

The peeps are doing great...moms keeping them plenty warm and they have a heat lamp for good measure.

Registering 6F right now and wind...yuck...hate wind. Cold is fine if it's not windy.


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[trsturself]

Accuweather says the real feel right now in Elizabeth is 0. I need to put my remote thermometer in the chicken coop so I can see the temp in there.

I love my automatic door! Since I didn't let my friend's chickens or the barn kitten out today I didn't have to go out tonight in the freezing weather. The light that shines on the coop door looks like it got moved in the wind though so I couldn't tell if it had shut or not. I actually had to walk out on the porch to check. It made me even happier that I didn't have to go further than that!

I can't find my extra parts to make the second automatic door. That's one part of moving I hate, not knowing where anything is. I'm going to have to order more. It's not that big of a deal since they only cost a few bucks, but the shipping is as much as the parts.

It's snowing pretty good out here and has been windy all day. Definitely makes me want to just curl up on the couch and not do anything. I got out of the house this morning for the animals and again to get some food. It was hard to motivate myself that far. If the dogs didn't need food I probably wouldn't have gone. Ironic thing is... I forgot to get dog food. lol

Stay warm everyone! Hopefully the sun makes an appearance tomorrow. Even though it's not supposed to get above freezing here, the sun always makes it feel nicer.

 

[ryan820]

It's entirely too cold out and we got a lot of snow tonight. Instead of trudging out to the coop every hour to check the newly hatched peeps, I put the wireless cam out. Now I can check on them without leaving the house!

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