Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[RoyalChick]

I would be most concerned for Bernie. The Math Majors have very small combs, so not very likely to be frost-bitten, and have each other for warmth. Bernie I am a bit worried about, what with the bigger (though not large) comb and being by herself. That said, she does have the panel heater, correct?

Yes she does have the panel.
I am thinking of lugging one of those oil filled space heaters I to the coop.
Those aren’t a fire risk.

 

[rural mouse]

They just called to reschedule my surgery to tomorrow at 2 pm instead of Wednesday at 6 am. While I am happy to get it done earlier, that will have us driving home when the weather is supposed to be at its worst.

Scary weather tax:

View attachment 3390770

Still better to get it done. When heading home, take it slow.

 

[RoyalChick]

Ugh. Forecast keeps getting worse. Now forecast to be -3F.
MINUS 3!!
That is below -19C.
Geez.

 

[rural mouse]

It is going to be 0F (nearly -18C) later in the week. I cannot get my mind around it being that cold. I have not experienced it myself let alone with chickens.
I won't be able to bring them in to the garage because I can't get the math majors down from the rafters. So I am going to have to just hope they do OK.
I confess I am worried.
Not only is it extreme cold but it is a sudden plunge in temperature - nights have been above freezing for days.

The math majors may decide the panel heat is a good thing

 

[rural mouse]

Ugh. Forecast keeps getting worse. Now forecast to be -3F.
MINUS 3!!
That is below -19C.
Geez.

It was -34F when I got go work this morning. Chooks protested when I opened the big door to bring in food and water. They decided warm water was ok, then yelled at me to shut the door as I left.

 

[RoyalChick]

It was -34F when I got go work this morning. Chooks protested when I opened the big door to bring in food and water. They decided warm water was ok, then yelled at me to shut the door as I left.

-34? I can’t even imagine!
Any advice?

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Our butterfly bushes die back to within a few inches of the ground each year. So, while the root system does grow, and it gets a bit bigger each year, it will never get really big. And with the winters being cold, but no lasting snow cover for insulation, I am afraid we will lose them one of these years. Snow provides a very nice insulating blanket against the real bitter cold days, but we have a lot of freezing rains, sleet, and only a little snow that hasn't stuck around the past couple of years. While it has been warmer overall, we still get those really cold snaps (for here) of below zero F for a few days to a week at a time. I, too, like butterfly bushes. Maybe I should try 1 or 2 of these there as well.

By serviceberries do you mean what are also called Juneberries around here? Rowan family? They grow well here and are delicious (taste like a cross between cherries and blueberries) but become tall and skinny and the fruit is too high to reach after some years. Maybe if kept pruned they could be more orchard-like.

Highbush blueberries are a huge hit here with people and chickens, the berries come right away, they love the acid soil here and they grow fast. I’ve put some plastic webbing down around them, held down with stones making it easy to move to add more mulch (I use old run litter). The hens love to dig the mulch, lots of worms in there and the mulch is easy digging. But they’ll dig down to exposing the shallow fine roots, so I’ve compromised and mulch quite wide around them but protect only the inner part where the roots are. So they dig that part and I go put it back every now and then. I got plastic webbing with small rectangular openings so their toes don’t catch in it, and I used plastic after some research - not crazy about plastic! - But I thought chicken wire can cut their feet. I tried to get vegetable-safe stuff.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

By serviceberries do you mean what are also called Juneberries around here? Rowan family? They grow well here and are delicious (taste like a cross between cherries and blueberries) but become tall and skinny and the fruit is too high to reach after some years. Maybe if kept pruned they could be more orchard-like.

Highbush blueberries are a huge hit here with people and chickens, the berries come right away, they love the acid soil here and they grow fast. I’ve put some plastic webbing down around them, held down with stones making it easy to move to add more mulch (I use old run litter). The hens love to dig the mulch, lots of worms in there and the mulch is easy digging. But they’ll dig down to exposing the shallow fine roots, so I’ve compromised and mulch quite wide around them but protect only the inner part where the roots are. So they dig that part and I go put it back every now and then. I got plastic webbing with small rectangular openings so their toes don’t catch in it, and I used plastic after some research - not crazy about plastic! - But I thought chicken wire can cut their feet. I tried to get vegetable-safe stuff.

Tax

 

[featherhead007]

Tax
View attachment 3390892
View attachment 3390893

Why are they so angry CB?

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Mugs Monday and plant tax:
Sugar: face pic? Like this?
View attachment 3390675
closer you say, well ok I am here!
View attachment 3390673
More pics? Fine, fine if you must Ill pose.
View attachment 3390677
Oreo: pictures? Well of course I am fabulous!
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Oreo’s wound site looks great now!