Does it ever feel like work?

[JP101010]

After reading all of these posts i can safely say its alot easier to raise chickens in florida .

Sorry guys but it was 80 degrees on christmas eve and it dipped down to 71 on christmas

our Chickens ran around in bathing suits building sandcastles for christmas , as yours were prob freezing their fuzzy butts off .

 

[BigDaddy'sGurl]

I think when I replied earlier I was just in a grumpy mood. I really didn't NEED 2 more adult hens today, but I got them anyway and figuring out where to put them to quarantine involved quite a bit of adjusting coops... and then my other birds just reached through the wire to the quarantine enclosure and got into sparring matches anyway... what was the point?

On the upside, I now have two beautiful new girls that should be laying soon, and have several to go to new homes. My new girls are a silver laced wyandotte named "Maggie" and a red sex-link named "Dana".

And I was complaining about work earlier...

 

[stargazingmommy]

When I'm having a pain flare up it seems like work.
Otherwise nawww its fun.

For winter watering, I keep a couple gallon milk jugs by the door. Fill them with hot water put the lids on and head out to the coop and run. The ducks have a heated dog dish the chickens have a one gallon cat watered that sits under the heat lamp in the run. I have both set on a couple paving stones, keeps them a bit cleaner.
For food I have a 5 gallon feeder. I only need to fill it once a week or so, but do eery day. Just if something were to happen and I missed a day, they would still be fine.

Coop ....deep litter.
I can't wait to clean the pine shavings and straw out and stick them I the compost come spring.

 

[dixiebeast]

I enjoy it but like florida its not too cold here and when it is its not for long...I do hate rainy days but I try to watch the weather and put out extra feed and top off water before so that I just have to say hi! and gather my pretty eggs!! Hatching fuzzy butts is the best!

 

[ALVIEMAN]

I AM NEARING THE TEN MONTH WITH MY FIVE PULLETS. IT ONLY SEEMED LIKE WORK ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO WHEN I HAD TO CROUCH DOWN AND GO IN THE 4 FOOT TALL RUN TO INSTALL A LIGHT TO KEEP EGGS COMING. I AM DISABLED, HAVE A PROSTHETIC LEG, AND WAS BEAT AFTER THE 20 MINUTES IT TOOK ME. HOWEVER, MY GALS ARE BACK UP THE THIER PREVIOUS PACE OF 3 TO 5 EGGS A DAY. ACTUALLY, I'VE GOTTEN 4-4-5-5-5 IN THE PAST FIVE DAYS. I THINK THE LIGHT IS WORKING. COMES ON AT 3 A.M. AND USE NATURAL SUNSET. GOT MY CHICKS ON MARCH 3 AND BEEN LAYING SINCE EARLY AUGUST. HAVEN'T BOUGHT EGGS SINCE. LOVE THEM, AND THIER 'PRESENTS'. STILL FUN FEEDING, CHASING, GATHERING, CLEANING AND OBSERVING. WOULDN'T TRADE THEM FOR ANYTHING, AND WOULD LOVE IT IF I HAD ROOM FOR ABOUT TWENTY FIVE!!!!!!!

eee

 

[JakRat]

Quote:
The gallon jugs really help in the winter. I save the caps so if I drop one or whatever the water doesnt spill.

 

[Fleabuskitty]

Quote:
Wow, it must suck having to carry water for the chickens. I guess I'm pretty lucky; we not only have a hose near all the birds but also found a plastic sink on the side of the road and set it up with a hose spiltter

It doesn't get cold here, either. The past month it hasn't been much cooler than 40 degrees

 

[ivan3]

Well, 15lb. lighter than I was when we started, nearly seven years ago.

This time of year the long underwear and knee high mud boots keep me out with the rest of the turkeys.

 

[cottagechick]

" but I worry so about my free ranging peas..." I just got this goofy image.... I wish I could draw... I am visualizing little smiling peas bouncing around the garden...

 

[upthecreek]

If it feels like work then do your chickens a favor and let someone else have them . If it now feels like work to you because you have to do a little/or a lot of work then you were not to smart (they call that dumb) from the beginning ........... were you ?????
This is suppose to be a grown up world ...... in which people use common sense and not forget about the animals they have that are depending totally on YOU !!!!!

Do your animals/fowl a favor (if you don't love them like most of the people on here do) have a heart and get rid of them !!!!