Consolidated Kansas

[HEChicken]

@zigzag45 I'm sorry - I have no experience with the nipples. Everything I've heard is they usually pick right up on it fast, but I haven't tried them myself. I keep my heated water bowl outside. I do try to put it somewhere it gets protection from the wind, to help the element out on keeping the water unfrozen, but with it outside, they can't kick bedding etc into it.

@chicken danz - do you have a specific place you order those gloves? I googled the name and got a real range, from $17 to more than $30 so I'm assuming some are better than others. I was thinking about ordering some but don't want to end up with the wrong ones. I like your idea of ski pants - I think I'm going to try those today. I've never found jeans to be terribly warm as the wind cuts right through them, so the ski pants will help with that and as you say, they are easier to remove than the coveralls. Plus, I already have them.

 

[zigzag45]

Zig Zag, first using the nipples you need to be sure they aren't freezing. Even if the water stays thawed the nipples could freeze. What I have done is just set a pan under the nipple waterers to catch drips for a few days, then hit the toggle a few times so the birds know the water is there. They are obviously going to go for the easiest water they can so don't put the extra water in there. They will find it. However I do know most people who use the nipple waterers put them up for winter because of the freezing factor. If you have a drop in heater that keeps the bottom where the nipples are attached warm it could be okay. You may have to just delay that system until spring if not.
ChirpyChicks thanks for the laugh. Your reference to a slide gave me a mental image of chickens doing a fast slide ride that made me laugh.
Can you post a picture of your drill and the type of bits you would be using? I can help you.

 

[zigzag45]

@HEChicken - thanks. I hadn't thought of it being outside. That would probably work.

 

[chicken danz]

I keep all my heated bowls outside. The only thing I keep inside are the two cookie tin heaters I am using. The reason for them being inside is to help hold the warmth in the coop as well. I have one in my hen house because I don't want my eggs to freeze if I can help it. My water bowls do get dirty but I dump and refill all my water every day any way. I don't want my birds drinking dirty water any more than I would want to. Even though when I poor the old water out on the ground they act like it is special and have to drink it then. That's a pretty fancy water system ZigZag.
HEChicken, I've ordered from various places. You will find a wide range of prices and prices are different for different sizes. I have always ordered Medium because they are so much cheaper than smalls. They have the rubber grips on them and even if they are big it is really easy to do things with your fingers in them. I just ordered the last ones from Amazon because they seemed to have the best prices. Just be sure to order the Glacier Glove (brand) Ice Bay fishing glove. I don't order the ones that are without fingers. What's the point?? I did pay the extra money for a pair of smalls this time but they are on back order through Amazon.
I just found this page and it's the best price I've seen for them plus free shipping. I just ordered two more pair of smalls. They just happened to be on sale. I found this supplier when I was ordering my others but they were out of stock then.
http://www.arvadasurplus.com/glacie...ium=GoogleShopping&utm_campaign=ArvadaSurplus

 

[tweetybaby2005]

@HEChicken - thanks for your comment about birds doing what they feel like. I've noticed one of my brahmas seems to prefer sleeping on the floor of the coop, while the rest vie for space on the top roost. A couple birds end up on the lower roost, but why the brahma is on the floor was puzzling me. I'll take it she just prefers being down there. She's definitely not bottom of the pecking order so there's no reason she couldn't get a spot on the roosts.

Water question.... I bought some nice poultry nipples and made a heated bucket watered for them. The power to the coop is working and everything was going to be just great I've spent 10-20 minutes each morning, for the past three mornings, out by the coop trying to encourage them to drink from it. Last night they had it all night, the previous nights I brought the bucket watered out with me after having removed it late, the evening before (after they were bedded down for the night).

If I mess with the nipples, I've been able to get two birds to come peck/kinda drink from it. Otherwise, I've seen no interest. After waiting for awhile I give them access to another source of water and they all run over and drink like they haven't had access to fluids in two weeks.

This page (https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/678722/dehydration-symptoms-cure-and-prevention) talks about dehydration indicators, but it appears to apply to hot weather. I don't think they would be panting in the cold.

Do I assume that even if I don't see them drinking from it, that they are? It's not easy to make marks inside. Or, should I be concerned and find another system. I could buy a heated dog bowl, but I know they will fill it with grime and sawdust and make a muddy mess out of it. I like the bucket because it has a lid, stays clean, and really, they should be grateful I was willing to take my time and make it for them (cough)... the least they could do is express appreciation and glug water from it....

Thoughts?

Zigzag, what I did was I put some peanut butter over the nipples (I actually also put pizza sauce over them since we had leftover pizza at that time which helped because of the orange/red sauce color). I then touched the nipples a few times to have some droplets come out, stood back and watched. The birds caught on pretty quickly. I took away all other water sources so they had no choice but to drink from the nipples. But this time of the year, the nipples could freeze even though the water inside the bucket is not. So this could potentially deter the birds from drinking from the nipples. Just a thought.

BRRRRR! I really bundled up to go out to do chores this evening, I had my down overalls on that were given to me last winter with a pair of Tom's wool socks & my down coat & then some wool gloves. I need to get some more of those gloves like you got Danz, what kind were they? My hands get so cold & I'm not supposed to have them overly cold due to having Raynaud's & they hurt really bad anyway with arthritis. Anyway, I was fairly cozy out there other than my face. I managed to get all the birds fed & took two last loads of trash to the pile that is going to the dump. I have most everything picked up now in the garage other than a tub I need to go through & a few things I need to bring in the house that I plan to try to sell. Tomorrow I should have it all cleaned out enough for my DH to get his car in there, that will make him extremely happy. He took the old truck to work tonight because of the ice we were supposed to get, which so far I have not seen. That's OK if we don't get it, I would much rather have snow than freezing rain any day. Well I just looked at the weather & it's supposed to get here after midnight & then tomorrow with rain & snow mixed later in the day, yuck! I really hate this kind of weather, I would love to be somewhere where I don't have to wear a heavy coat ever.

Oh, I so need a coverall for chicken chores in the winter. But since I'm vertically challenged (aka short), the ones I have seen in the stores are wayyyyy to long for me. I hesitate to get it online for this same reason, don't want to deal with returning merchandize online if it doesn't fit.

Hmm... We have ice on everything . Oh joy. Birds are cozy tho, got all of the outside yard stuff done yesterday and today. Having company come for Thanksgiving is making us get a lot done, like- today was trash day, so while the rest of the family was gone I made a pretty good haul to the end of the driveway. (What they don't know won't hurt them).DH's family would hate to think we were going out of our way for them but it truly is a good motivator .
One of the diva weather guys made his winter weather "forecast ". He seems to think that it will be wetter than normal with a couple of arctic blasts, maybe even an ice storm. Apparently he needed his own half hour show to share that info.

Ain't that the truth? I only do major cleaning (inside and outside the house) when I have company. A good way to get rid of stuff.

Those weather guys really get excited about severe weather, don't they? I remember the KFDI weather reporters and tornado weather back in the 70's. You could almost see them dancing the happy dance that something was happening.

Really funny post... makes me laugh... They sure have great passion on weather, year round.

Trish, those I buy are Glacier Ice Bay fishing gloves. Just got a new pair in the mail yesterday. I have a second pair on back order right now. I ordered two different sizes. You can't beat them for keeping your hands warm and dry. I have some overalls and some coveralls both. But I like to wear those ski pants on top of my jeans to do my chores. I guess for one thing I can get them off quicker if I have to run in the house to go pee.

They tend to shed the water a little as well. I can't feed and water without getting wet. It's just impossible. I have a heavy dickies jacket I wear on top and if it is really cold I put a sweat shirt under that. I also wear a scarf around my neck that really seems to help keep the cold drafts out. And I put on my big ole heavy muck boots. I look like a black michelin man but I stay warm unless I'm out there for a long time.
We got lots of ice last night. I was thinking it was going to be awful today but the wind came up and it kind of freeze dried every thing. What a blessing.
They were predicting snow last night for today but it looks like it's been taken out of the forecast. I'm not disappointed. Now if they would take the cold out of the forecast I'd be happy.
Ashncarson, my bulbs sit more toward the middle of the container so it could be a difference in what kind of fixture your DH used. At any rate all you need is a place for them to gain access to the water. The less water they have to choose from maybe the less mess they will make. Lots of people use those drip waterers and the chickens figure them out so I am sure they'll find the water. I've seen my chickens out in the yard in winter picking on ice instead of going back and drinking the thawed water at the coop.
I have a regular heated water base that was priced way too high and was made to keep big waterers thawed. I have seen it totally iced over before but the chickens will go along the sides where they can get the water from under neath.
I put a water bowl out in the old garage area for the sex link chicks cause their gallon waterer wasn't keeping up with them. I didn't have a heater for it so I guess I'll see if the garage kept enough heat in for it to stay partially thawed. If not I may have to make another cookie tin heater. They are still kind of short so I didn't want to raise it too high.
Sharol maybe we should ask Lizzy how it is to be married to a weather guy!! I don't think I'd share any enthusiasm about bad weather however.

I will need to get some of those gloves you got there Danz. The freezing water is making my skin on my hands crack! They are painful to say the least. Plus I always get my hands and shoes/feet wet so not only I need a coverall, a pair of good gloves, I also need a pair of waterproof shoes and pants.

My birds are too young for that, but my older dog doesn't hear very well any more, and she has cataracts so she doesn't see very well either. We don't often give it much thought, but the critters age right along with us, don't they!


I'm laughing about the "umpa-loompa" because I hate to think what I would look like in coveralls.

On the once or twice a year occasion that we have to dig out from heavy snow, I always wonder why I don't have coveralls. DH has some and he's always toasty warm.


LOL! I don't know about the happy dance these days, but they do seem to think every spring storm will result in the tornado of the century.

Wow is it cold this morning. I'll be running out every couple of hours to make sure the water isn't frozen. Fortunately, I don't have to run far. Try to stay warm, everyone.

It sure is a very cold morning. No one is home so I hope the black rubber bowls do its job at absorbing heat (well, if you can call it that since we won't go above freezing today) and thaw out the water for the ducks. Guess if needed, they can mozy over to the 2 heated dog bowls and splash all the water out.

Even after only a few years living in KS, I was quite used to the extremes of KS weather and I'm still amazed, not just by the weather guys but by the population in general, how surprised everyone seems when we have extreme weather.

I finally had to break down and plug in a heated water bowl this morning. Everything was frozen solid. I added a tank heater to the sheep/goats water tank and a gallon of water to a heated water bowl for the birds. Fortunately most of the ducks flew down to the pond first thing so they aren't there to splash water out like they usually do. I'll have to go and add a gallon every couple of hours throughout the day today as the high is supposed to be only 30. It seems early to me for it to be this cold - I hope it is just a cold snap and not a harbinger of the winter to come….

In good news though, the hay shelter/wall is working extremely well. It was biting cold out in that north wind but then I stepped into the shelter to deliver the morning's grain ration, and the wind just….stopped. I know its still cold out there but once you're protected from the wind, its tolerable - and feels 20 degrees warmer.

So glad your hay shelter is working. Just reading your description makes me feel cozy inside the shelter. The wind chill is what we don't want. Without wind, the weather is so much more tolerable.

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I use this to cover half my face and just leave the eye area open when I am out and about doing chores. It helps keep my frozen nose and ears intact. LOL

 

[chicken danz]

HEchicken, Sorry, I just noticed that the shipping is only free on orders of $100 or more. I got so excited I didn't read the fine print.

 

[HEChicken]

HEchicken, Sorry, I just noticed that the shipping is only free on orders of $100 or more. I got so excited I didn't read the fine print.

No problem! I put a pair in my cart on Amazon but need to get up to $35 for the free shipping there too. I'm trying to think of something else I need…I know you said you buy multiple pairs of gloves - do you go through them that fast or just like to have them stashed in multiple places?

I usually just have one pair of gloves and keep them in the pocket of the jacket I wear outside to do chores. The pair I'm using now I bought two years ago in the after-winter sale at Atwoods and if I recall correctly, I only paid $6 for them. They've served me well and my hands never used to get cold in them but this morning my finger tips were chilling so I'm wondering if over the course of the two years they've become thinner or the lining has worn out or something.

 

[JosieChick]

Coveralls. That's what I need! I've never had any but this year I may get some - for the first time I really feel like I need them.

Trish, you're lucky you haven't had freezing rain yet. We already had some this afternoon and I almost couldn't get into the feed room end of my coop when I went to do evening chores this evening. In fact, I'm so worried I won't be able to get in there in the morning that I pulled the goat/sheep ration of grain and brought it up to the house. I fill the chicken feeder in the evening anyway so by having the goat and sheep feed already pulled, I won't need to get in tomorrow morning so it won't matter if I'm frozen out.

Everyone was in the coop way early this evening and I had completed evening chores about 45 minutes earlier than usual. I guess it felt good to them to get in out of that cold north wind, too.

Hahaha!! An umpa loompa! I was a pregnant one last year and it was getting ridiculous trying to button them over my huge belly!

Hechicken -I love my coveralls ! I wear them all the time . They make me look like an "umpa-loompa"but that's ok, helps keep your other clothes from getting dirty too.

I always felt like a michelin man too. I probably look ridiculous but I don't care. If they take the cold out of the forecast that would be awesome!

Trish, those I buy are Glacier Ice Bay fishing gloves. Just got a new pair in the mail yesterday. I have a second pair on back order right now. I ordered two different sizes. You can't beat them for keeping your hands warm and dry. I have some overalls and some coveralls both. But I like to wear those ski pants on top of my jeans to do my chores. I guess for one thing I can get them off quicker if I have to run in the house to go pee.

They tend to shed the water a little as well. I can't feed and water without getting wet. It's just impossible. I have a heavy dickies jacket I wear on top and if it is really cold I put a sweat shirt under that. I also wear a scarf around my neck that really seems to help keep the cold drafts out. And I put on my big ole heavy muck boots. I look like a black michelin man but I stay warm unless I'm out there for a long time.
We got lots of ice last night. I was thinking it was going to be awful today but the wind came up and it kind of freeze dried every thing. What a blessing.
They were predicting snow last night for today but it looks like it's been taken out of the forecast. I'm not disappointed. Now if they would take the cold out of the forecast I'd be happy.
Ashncarson, my bulbs sit more toward the middle of the container so it could be a difference in what kind of fixture your DH used. At any rate all you need is a place for them to gain access to the water. The less water they have to choose from maybe the less mess they will make. Lots of people use those drip waterers and the chickens figure them out so I am sure they'll find the water. I've seen my chickens out in the yard in winter picking on ice instead of going back and drinking the thawed water at the coop.
I have a regular heated water base that was priced way too high and was made to keep big waterers thawed. I have seen it totally iced over before but the chickens will go along the sides where they can get the water from under neath.
I put a water bowl out in the old garage area for the sex link chicks cause their gallon waterer wasn't keeping up with them. I didn't have a heater for it so I guess I'll see if the garage kept enough heat in for it to stay partially thawed. If not I may have to make another cookie tin heater. They are still kind of short so I didn't want to raise it too high.
Sharol maybe we should ask Lizzy how it is to be married to a weather guy!! I don't think I'd share any enthusiasm about bad weather however.

When it rains it pours on this thread! Funny about your chicken slide!

Geez, I've missed a lot!! Not sure I'll be able to catch up with all of the posts lol. Man on man it's cold today! Because of the rain we had yesterday I had to pour hot water on the ramp coming out of the coop this morning so the chickens didn't turn it into a slide

Bought the stuff I need to make a cookie tin water heater last night but unfortunately wasn't able to get it together, can't seem to figure out how to change the bits on the drill

UMMM, BRRRRR!!!!!! It is terribly cold out. I am not so sure I am thrilled with my "lets save electricity and only use heated water bowls when we are out of town idea this morning." Breaking ice in rubber bowls was NOT fun. The birds seem happy as clams and are all out running around, brrr....The dogs are both on the porch snoozing on the giant futon pad that was supposed to go to the burn pile but instead has been commandeered as the LGD lookout point and giant dog bed.

 

[HEChicken]

I've just been out to refill the heated water bowl and I decided to check on the one egg left under the broody cochin. Today is the due date but I haven't held out a lot of hope because a few days ago the hen returned to the wrong nest after her broody break and by the time I found the eggs they were cold. I candled and could see that 3 were clear and this was the only one with development, so I put it back under her but feared it was done for. Well, it is pipped and it chirped at me when I picked it up. She is in "talking mother hen" mode, murmuring to it to encourage it to hatch. What an awful day for a chick to be hatching!!! If I didn't think it would upset the hen enough for her to abandon the nest, I'd relocate them somewhere a little warmer. I will just have to hope that none of the other hens kick her off the nest to lay their eggs so she has a chance to keep it secure and warm while it hatches.

 

[chicken danz]

No problem! I put a pair in my cart on Amazon but need to get up to $35 for the free shipping there too. I'm trying to think of something else I need…I know you said you buy multiple pairs of gloves - do you go through them that fast or just like to have them stashed in multiple places?

I am notorious for loosing things, so I have to have backups. Also once in while I get really wild with the hose and manage to spray water down inside my gloves. With these that isn't a good thing. They do still stay warn even we though. You nearly have to turn them inside out to get them to dry. I usually try to prop them up on something over a heat vent. The neoprene holds the water out, but also holds the water in if you are a klutz like me. I have managed to tear the fingers out of a couple pair over time. The down side to getting them wet is if they don't get completely dry they can start stinking. Not good! So if you keep your gloves in your coat pocket and you don't inadvertently run the garden hose down your gloves one pair should do you.
I have Amazon prime. I thought it was sort of high. But I tend to do most of my shopping on line anyway and a good deal of that on Amazon. It only takes a few of items to pay for the membership. I joined last December and actually made up my membership in shipping costs with Christmas shopping. Over a year's time it saves me gobs. Using it lowers the overall price I have to pay and gets me quicker shipping on tons of stuff.
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Quote:

UMMM, BRRRRR!!!!!! It is terribly cold out. I am not so sure I am thrilled with my "lets save electricity and only use heated water bowls when we are out of town idea this morning." Breaking ice in rubber bowls was NOT fun. The birds seem happy as clams and are all out running around, brrr....The dogs are both on the porch snoozing on the giant futon pad that was supposed to go to the burn pile but instead has been commandeered as the LGD lookout point and giant dog bed.

You know those bowls only pull about 50 wts and a half amp and only when it is freezing out. I don't think you'd be using very much energy unless it is really bitter cold out. Didn't you have several you got at DIY last year? I'd be using those suckers for sure. I think I have about 23 of them going right now if I figure right, plus two heated buckets and some drop in heaters. Now that many uses electricity. I don't know any way around it though.
I had one of those outdoor fabric pads that went on a lounge chair. Marshmallow used that for a couple years. She would even lay on it out in the yard.