Colorado

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

It sounds like you have spent a lot of time on your plans!  I have never had a broody hatch chicks before so this question might sound silly, but if you brood in an elevated coop, can the chicks get down the ramp okay?

I admire your concern for chickeners faced with evacuation.  Every year we hope it won't happen to us, but this last year especially was scary, at times it seemed as if the whole state would burn.

My broody coop is about 18 inches up. I kept everyone in for 4 weeks before allowing freedom. The first night one of the Silkie babies needed help getting back in. After that they all had it figured out.

 

[wsmith]

Built a watterer heater this afternoon. The body/heat chamber is made from a steel 5 gallon can cut off. I have a thermostat plug in hooked up that turns on a 35* and off at 45*.

 

[Pozees]

Built a watterer heater this afternoon. The body/heat chamber is made from a steel 5 gallon can cut off. I have a thermostat plug in hooked up that turns on a 35* and off at 45*.

Nice!

 

[Pozees]

My broody coop is about 18 inches up. I kept everyone in for 4 weeks before allowing freedom. The first night one of the Silkie babies needed help getting back in. After that they all had it figured out.

Okay - and they were with a broody hen, or under a heat lamp?

 

[TracieJS]

Wendell - thank you!! I really value your thoughts. Your coops sound awesome. I love my 8 chicks and would love to have the space to have a real homestead... Ahhh the dream!

I hope Beth is feeling okay with the weather changing.

Thanks . . . Tracie

 

[Mtn Margie]

Pushing 4 inches of snow this evening. Going to be icy tomorrow! The girls and boy got to free-range today to load up on gravel, dust bathing and mental health to get them through this spot of stormy weather.

 

[dennarahl]

according to my husband who does the morning bird chores, the chickens are nice and toasty thanks to the heat lamp, and the geese are still dumb. they came out of their little hut and were walking around hissing at the snow.

a question for ya'll, if my chickens won't avoid the rain, should i keep them locked up today, or should i chance it and see how they react to the snow?

 

[wsmith]

according to my husband who does the morning bird chores, the chickens are nice and toasty thanks to the heat lamp, and the geese are still dumb. they came out of their little hut and were walking around hissing at the snow.
a question for ya'll, if my chickens won't avoid the rain, should i keep them locked up today, or should i chance it and see how they react to the snow?

Mine were also warm. The heater didn't get to turn on, because it wasn't even close to "cold" inside the hen house.

I very seldom close the chicken door to the hen house. If they go outside, they go outside. If it is raining, then they either go back in or get wet. I would just let them do their thing.

 

[wsmith]

Wendell - thank you!! I really value your thoughts. Your coops sound awesome. I love my 8 chicks and would love to have the space to have a real homestead... Ahhh the dream!

I hope Beth is feeling okay with the weather changing.
Thanks . . . Tracie

Thanks Tracie! We truly enjoy having the space to do what we have planned. It took years to get here, we spent 21 years of our married life living in apartments or suburbs that didn't allow chickens. Or dogs that barked. Or weeds. Or extra vehicles. We get to enjoy all of those things now!

Beth feels OK, she had some pain yesterday but that was because of the extreme pressure change. She is on so much pain medication, she is nearly impervious to pain!

 

[Chick_In_The_Burbs]

Okay - and they were with a broody hen, or under a heat lamp?

They were with their broody. She's still mothering the little fuzzies too. They are 11 weeks now.