Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[Triple Willow]

@Bee... BEAUTIFUL PICTURES! I would love to play out in it if I could do that at about 70'F! LOL ...but it is sooo perdy.

 

[Beekissed]

@Bee... BEAUTIFUL PICTURES! I would love to play out in it if I could do that at about 70'F! LOL ...but it is sooo perdy.

Guess who stayed in the coop.....

Yep...Mr. Sissy Pants with the built in leg warmers. Sweetums, AKA Fat Cochin.

I've got stuck with a big ol' foo foo bird.

Oh, if Al knew this he'd be rubbing my nose in it, for sure! What was I thinking????

 

[perchie.girl]

I always look forward to going out in a fresh snow...feel like a kid again!

Then my body says, "Hey, moron! Down here! Remember me? Yeah, the old fart whose joints are sore and stiff.....yer not a kid anymore, you doofas!"

New snow always makes my heart happy..especially if the sun is shining and the sky is blue. Makes the snow look like a carpet of diamonds, glittering a million rays of light...and I feel so RICH! Ain't nobody gots diamonds like that in this world....

Wooo Hoo soo pretty awesome pix.......

for me the falling starts.... For me to get to that coop Id see Snow Sky Snow Sky Snow Sky.... Poke a carrot in for my nose and my hand would stick out to fling feed and it would hit the door of the coop....

 

[Beekissed]

I've got good tread on my snow boots! The coop is further from the house than that pic shows...let me show you the view from my back porch....THAT'S how far I carry water and feed....way in the back of that log shed is the coop..you can almost see it against that hillside.

We like the sounds and smells of animals to be removed from the vicinity of the house.



Jack Frost, knockin' on the back door...and my old snow boots waiting next to my trusty feed bucket.

 

[Lacy Blues]

Guess who stayed in the coop.....

Yep...Mr. Sissy Pants with the built in leg warmers. Sweetums, AKA Fat Cochin.

I've got stuck with a big ol' foo foo bird.

Oh, if Al knew this he'd be rubbing my nose in it, for sure! What was I thinking????

It's probably his first snow. I've never had a chicken go charging out the door the first time they see snow. I'd give him a chance. He'll get used to it.

Wooo Hoo soo pretty awesome pix.......

for me the falling starts.... For me to get to that coop Id see Snow Sky Snow Sky Snow Sky.... Poke a carrot in for my nose and my hand would stick out to fling feed and it would hit the door of the coop....

 

[Beekissed]

It's probably his first snow. I've never had a chicken go charging out the door the first time they see snow. I'd give him a chance. He'll get used to it.

I've never had a chicken that didn't go out in the snow for their first snow....they just generally follow all the other birds out and it ain't no big thang. Except for this sissy boy....who's supposed to be looking after some girls....girls who go out in the snow just fine. These two new BAs are seeing their first snow too but they went out like troopers.

Like I said...born to be mild. Poor Sweetums.

 

[Triple Willow]

@Bee... Poor Sweetums... dissing him like that! LOL I don't blame him. I'd be in a nest hiding out! hahaha

Looks like we have about the same distance to go but your might be a little further. Mine is down hill then back up. Not a big hill, thank goodness.

 

[Windy Bay Farm]

@Bee ... Thanks for the info !

I do have some ventilation at the bottom of the coop as well as to large windows up high that I open. However, with this latest storm it has been blustering so bad that the snow was making its way in through the bottom vent and snow was piling up on the coop floor. I had to block it off to keep that darn snow from covering the floor ! So now I just have the two large windows at the top of the coop open to help with the ventilation. His comb doesn't look as bad today but still has black areas which I'm afraid has caused permanent damage that I'll likely only know the extent of in a few weeks !

Oh to have spring come so soon !!

 

[Beekissed]

I can understand that! The lower vent I had was vented into the broody coop next door, which had an open side of wire that allowed air to flow into that opening but not the wind. It's that type of ventilation that folks need at the floor level...it lets in air but not a breeze or the elements.

My floor level venting right now has such a configuration that lots of air comes in for the winter months but no wind, rain or snow. I think coop venting just needs some tweaking and it's such times as this that helps one get a handle on how the vents perform throughout the year.

Even if you have to nail up a feed sack or an old towel to flap down over that lower vent, I'd try it for keeping out the snow but allowing for air to intake. It would be worth experimenting with it right now so you can see the differences between having it and not having it, while using your rooster's comb as a gauge.

 

[armorfirelady]

I bought a bale of hay today and spread it around in their coop, under their A frame shelter & in their old run (which they like to go in during the day) Girls were happy to spend their day happily scratching thru it. I felt better they had the warm straw with our frigid temps. Was 2F when I got up this morning. Brrrr But the sun came out and I spent 2 hours outside snow blowing, bringing in wood & putting the hay down. I was perspiring I was so warm. Glad to see the sun even tho it did little to warm stuff up lol


Even my goofy dog liked the cold snow. He was having a ball rolling around in it

I have only been letting them out long enough to do their business then back in they come. Any longer & they start limping from cold paws. Its suppose to get up into the 30s this weekend so they can be out more.
bear & Lily love to romp & play in the snow as long as they can. And smell the snow.....I am guessing the smells from the bunnies, squirrels and deer must be stronger in the snow since they go across the yard with their nose buried in the snow.