Consolidated Kansas

[Myabcs3]

Quote:
In my most humble opinion...

For mature hens, I don't supply extra heat, just a heated dog bowl to keep the water unfrozen. I tend to agree with many posters on BYC that the cold is harder on the humans then it is on the chickens! Mother nature equipped them with what they need to tolerate the weather. Give them shelter from the wind and elements (snow, rain, etc) with fresh water and dry feed, and they will be fine...

Again, that is my humble opinion...

 

[Ivywoods]

Oh, Danz! I sure hope your female is preggers. I want one of those pups!

I think I need to make another cookie tin water heater, but I think I will try to find some short popcorn tins like what you used. I think that would work better for my larger waterers. It looks like it will work great. Do you think a plastic pan on top of it would be okay?

Everything is frozen out there today. I discovered one of my cookie tin heaters had a burned out bulb, so I need to buy some more bulbs like that.

As far as lights deterring predators..... DON'T count on it! I remember one time when we lived at Solomon there was one night that we left the light on down by our guest house because family were staying there. We had some geese in a pen near there and they had been there for quite some time. That night we left the light on was the night some raccoons came in and killed some of the geese in that pen. They reached right throught the wire and got them.

 

[chicken danz]

I don't worry about heat much unless it gets below zero for LF adult chickens. And I still have some that insist roosting in the pen rather than in the building. Just absolutely want to make sure they have water. Younger chickens or small bantams I believe need a heat lamp of some kind in their building to take off the chill. The only other consideration is if you have layers, the eggs can freeze in a building that cold. I'd rather be safe than sorry.

 

[chicken danz]

Quote:
I think a plastic pan should work, but of course metal conducts the heat better. I did a test and this doesn't get too hot to touch so it shouldn't melt plastic. I really need to buy some heavy service bulbs. Regular cheap incandescent bulbs sometimes burn out if it gets real cold. That could be a problem with the cookie tin heater bulbs as well. I think I would buy appliance bulbs for them since they have a heavier element and withstand temperatures.
I bought myself a new computer today. I should be buying Christmas presents. But mine is so old it keeps running out of virtual memory. I added memory but I run too many applications. Maybe DH will just give me money instead of buying a present. I really couldn't afford it but ordered it anyway. I didn't think I'd ever need more computer than what I have. It's crazy!

 

[notiones]

Quote:
In my most humble opinion...

For mature hens, I don't supply extra heat, just a heated dog bowl to keep the water unfrozen. I tend to agree with many posters on BYC that the cold is harder on the humans then it is on the chickens! Mother nature equipped them with what they need to tolerate the weather. Give them shelter from the wind and elements (snow, rain, etc) with fresh water and dry feed, and they will be fine...

Again, that is my humble opinion...

Well, my oldest hen is 8 months and my youngest is 3 months. Maybe I should turn on the heat lamp for the young ones?

 

[Konza]

Quote:
Oh, it changes depending on what's going on.

Getting herded back into the coop at night: But-WHY? But-WHY?
Greeting us in the morning: Hey-GUYS! Hey-GUYS!
Package arriving: Fed-EX! Fed-Ex!

Darnit, now I miss those noisy girls.

 

[Ivywoods]

Quote:
Yes, I don't supply extra heat for my large fowl, but a heated water bowl, just to keep it from freezing. My bantams DO need just a little heat. I lost several at the other place when I had them in an un-insulated shed that got VERY cold. Right now I have a thermocube that turns the light on when it gets below 35 (I think that's the setting.) I only have it on the ones I feel are most vulnerable, but I hope to be able to add a few more lights to the system so I will have that option for some of the other bantams as the winter gets colder.

 

[Ivywoods]

Quote:
Oh, it changes depending on what's going on.

Getting herded back into the coop at night: But-WHY? But-WHY?
Greeting us in the morning: Hey-GUYS! Hey-GUYS!
Package arriving: Fed-EX! Fed-Ex!

Darnit, now I miss those noisy girls.

What a hoot! I never thought about applying their noise to the situation.

How about More-FOOD More-FOOD!

 

[Konza]

Quote:
Oh, is that what they've been trying to tell me this whole time?

Do you think they get together and talk about how dumb and silly humans are?

 

[chicken danz]

LOL! Gotta agree this is More-food more-food. That is about the only time mine yell at me.... when I'm out feeding.