Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[Beekissed]

Here's something to brighten your day and ease your chickeny fears, gals...and a wonderful plug for my favorite breed:

You wanna talk about COLD hardy? Last night when I went out to shut my coop door for the night it was 1 degree F. This morning when I went out to open the door and feed it was -9 F. I apparently didn't see one of my 15 week old white plymouth rock hens curled up in the snow last night. She came happily clucking over to me this morning after staying out side all night in -5 F - -10 F. That is what I call a tough bird. I never heat my coop and we have had several cold snaps into the negative teens. This is my first incidence of accidentally not getting all my birds in for the night in these temps. Amazing how tough they are.

 

[Triple Willow]

@Bee... Are you going to let your birds out or keep them in the coop until this passes?

 

[Beekissed]

@Bee... Are you going to let your birds out or keep them in the coop until this passes?

My pop door is open 24/7 and 365 unless they are in nest training. It is currently open. I let the birds decide and they always know what to do. No one has poked a beak out of the coop today.

You'd be surprised at how NOT airtight my coop is...I've got open places of 10 in. up at the top, down at the bottom and even along the sides, with the pop door open as well. I've found this hoop coop holds a lot of humidity due to the plastic liner at the ceiling, so I've got a lot of ventilation.

Just saw Jake out playing in the snow....darn dog doesn't know he's old and it's cold out!

 

[Beekissed]

If you think you have it bad right now, just take a look at this little montage of events that happened around the world this past year due to severe weather occurrences. It can give you a different perspective altogether about how things are going at your house compared to elsewhere....

 

[Beekissed]

Five degrees here now but windchill is -14, snow is still sideways. How's everyone doing out there?

 

[beverly evans]

Quote:
THX Bee and everyone else. They made it just fine it appears. I had 2 problems; a jerry rigged baby coop where the open part, an indoor type dog crate, was wired to the coop. It was never a problem because I have access to food and water from outside the crate but not to the cks. except thru the small door at the back of the coop so I couldn't reach them. This was never a problem before but it seems that the 8 week olds wouldn't let the 4 week olds into the coop or nesting/sleeping area and they were stuck outside. Usually they (the 8 week olds) go to bed and I close the pop hole to make them warmer. They have a 60 watt bulb in there. But I didn't last nite in hopes the younger ones would go in. So I dropped a heating pad on high between the wall next to the garage and the crate and pushed a board behind it to get it flush with the crate's side right where they were sleeping. Of course I tarped the whole thing up fairly tight and it worked I guess. I was worried because I know chickens can handle it but I didn't know about those not totally feathered out yet. They are a lot hardier than we think! Did I tell you I got 20 babies out of my day after Christmas hatch! My favorite gift! A really adorable bunch of mutts from my Marans, Americaunas, a Dominique and a BO. Happy, Happy!

 

[beverly evans]

Quote:
THX Bee and everyone else. They made it just fine it appears. I had 2 problems; a jerry rigged baby coop where the open part, an indoor type dog crate, was wired to the coop. It was never a problem because I have access to food and water from outside the crate but not to the cks. except thru the small door at the back of the coop so I couldn't reach them. This was never a problem before but it seems that the 8 week olds wouldn't let the 4 week olds into the coop or nesting/sleeping area and they were stuck outside. Usually they (the 8 week olds) go to bed and I close the pop hole to make them warmer. They have a 60 watt bulb in there. But I didn't last nite in hopes the younger ones would go in. So I dropped a heating pad on high between the wall next to the garage and the crate and pushed a board behind it to get it flush with the crate's side right where they were sleeping. Of course I tarped the whole thing up fairly tight and it worked I guess. I was worried because I know chickens can handle it but I didn't know about those not totally feathered out yet. They are a lot hardier than we think! Did I tell you I got 20 babies out of my day after Christmas hatch! My favorite gift! A really adorable bunch of mutts from my Marans, Americaunas, a Dominique and a BO. Happy, Happy!

Forgot to say, it even got down into the teens here last nite. I must sound like such a wuss, what with everyone on here dealing with minus temperatures. I hope (pray) for no outages for you'all.

 

[Beekissed]

THX Bee and everyone else. They made it just fine it appears. I had 2 problems; a jerry rigged baby coop where the open part, an indoor type dog crate, was wired to the coop. It was never a problem because I have access to food and water from outside the crate but not to the cks. except thru the small door at the back of the coop so I couldn't reach them. This was never a problem before but it seems that the 8 week olds wouldn't let the 4 week olds into the coop or nesting/sleeping area and they were stuck outside. Usually they (the 8 week olds) go to bed and I close the pop hole to make them warmer. They have a 60 watt bulb in there. But I didn't last nite in hopes the younger ones would go in. So I dropped a heating pad on high between the wall next to the garage and the crate and pushed a board behind it to get it flush with the crate's side right where they were sleeping. Of course I tarped the whole thing up fairly tight and it worked I guess. I was worried because I know chickens can handle it but I didn't know about those not totally feathered out yet. They are a lot hardier than we think! Did I tell you I got 20 babies out of my day after Christmas hatch! My favorite gift! A really adorable bunch of mutts from my Marans, Americaunas, a Dominique and a BO. Happy, Happy!

Congrats!!!

Happy, happy, happy!

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Well, the lady rabbits are all tucked into the garage with their kits. We are about to go start moving the hens. The temps here have fallen to about 0 and will stay there for the next hour as we batten down the hatches. Then, as the sun sets, the actual cold will set in! I am really happy to be getting these critters indoors where their combined heat should keep the temps higher. I have used nearly a whole bale of hay making sure they're all tucked in and I am not even done yet! I have a box of shredded newspaper for the chooks. The upside to having hem in the garage will be I can try introducing some artificial light and seeing if I can get them to start laying! Much like your chickens, Bee, I have eight hens and only one is laying and that's only every day or so. My five nine month production reds haven't given me a single egg yet! Hopefully being warm and in bright lights will change that!

 

[Beekissed]

Well, the lady rabbits are all tucked into the garage with their kits. We are about to go start moving the hens. The temps here have fallen to about 0 and will stay there for the next hour as we batten down the hatches. Then, as the sun sets, the actual cold will set in! I am really happy to be getting these critters indoors where their combined heat should keep the temps higher. I have used nearly a whole bale of hay making sure they're all tucked in and I am not even done yet! I have a box of shredded newspaper for the chooks. The upside to having hem in the garage will be I can try introducing some artificial light and seeing if I can get them to start laying! Much like your chickens, Bee, I have eight hens and only one is laying and that's only every day or so. My five nine month production reds haven't given me a single egg yet! Hopefully being warm and in bright lights will change that!

I'm glad it's not just me! Production hens that have not produced by that age???? Do you all think it's the FF? I've been tossing that idea around in my mind and wondering if it causes delayed maturity or something? Though these new birds of mine came to me just recently and they were over 7 mo. without producing yet, so maybe it's not that...but I've never seen anything quite like this.....wondering if the GMO corn is the problem.

Maybe I'll FF some wild bird or game bird feed for awhile and see if anything comes of it, though that's entirely too rich a mix to be feeding all the time, IME.

Glad you are getting all tucked in, CM! Going to be a chiller night...my birds haven't popped their heads out all day.

Stay safe, stay warm!!