Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[Ponypoor]

Thirsty Thursday wasn't a success here, but I managed to get some photos from the previous days.
Temperatures are slowly dropping back to normal seasonals ( meaning under 30f /0c) and I'm also getting a hot water bottle in bed ! Our bedroom isn't heated, and I've noticed I sleep so much better when it gets cold.

I was wondering for those of you that live in real cold climates : do you have special clothes to deal with it, or do you just stay inside most of the time ? Also, are houses very well isolated or do you spend crazy amounts heating ? Sorry, these are very naïve questions I realize . It made me laugh so much when I lived in the US as a teen and I was asked a few times if we had television .

Merle is now laying normally . I'm very relieved!

Let's have a drink
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Léa and Merle
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Théo and Cannelle
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Merle and Piou-piou's eggs
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Good sized eggs for little girls! All your kiddos look really happy and contend

 

[knoturavggrl]

Gorgeous, too! Wow, the color in his feathers!

Thank you he is indeed turning into a rather good looking Rooster!

 

[knoturavggrl]

Mine are on a 20% all flock also. And I see my boys at the oyster bar occasionally, too. They're either using it to tidbit, or snagging a bit, sometimes both. I figure when they are eating it, they must need it. Watching what they eat when ranging the yard is interesting too. Some days the grass is getting mown blade by blade and I swear they're measuring the length of the grass, then trimming a bit more. Other days, the grass is just the nastiest thing and they can't dig it up fast enough to get to the bit or bug or root instead.

Good to know it’s normal. I was surprised for sure that he was interested in it at all. But then maybe I shouldn’t be he is growing fast and no doubt that does take up a-lot of calcium. Its his choice to eat it or not so if he needs it, its there same for the girls Right now it just seems like he has a huge appetite and will eat anything and everything available lol. I also suspect he dislikes the new feeder because he has to stick his head in the hole to eat and maybe it feels funny on his large comb and waddles. just guessing though.

 

[RoyalChick]

Thirsty Thursday wasn't a success here, but I managed to get some photos from the previous days.
Temperatures are slowly dropping back to normal seasonals ( meaning under 30f /0c) and I'm also getting a hot water bottle in bed ! Our bedroom isn't heated, and I've noticed I sleep so much better when it gets cold.

I was wondering for those of you that live in real cold climates : do you have special clothes to deal with it, or do you just stay inside most of the time ? Also, are houses very well isolated or do you spend crazy amounts heating ? Sorry, these are very naïve questions I realize . It made me laugh so much when I lived in the US as a teen and I was asked a few times if we had television .

Merle is now laying normally . I'm very relieved!

Let's have a drink
View attachment 3338347
Léa and Merle
View attachment 3338351
Théo and Cannelle
View attachment 3338358
Merle and Piou-piou's eggs
View attachment 3338365

I will answer for myself as everyone has a different set up. I like my bedroom to be around 62-63F (16-17C). I have central heating and the thermostat is in the bedroom so I can control that reasonably well. My recent experience with the hot water bottle is not in NJ and that was down to about 40F (4.5C) and I was definitely cold without the bottle. I would still prefer cold to hot in the bedroom.
In terms of clothing - yes, I have a whole set of winter clothes including thermal underwear. Mainly though I do layers because if you go out in the cold and do chicken chores, pretty soon you are too hot! Key for me is a really warm scarf and a hat.

 

[TX Chick Noob]

Powder reminds me so much of my chickens too. They always want to look up in the sky for hawks and other flying predators and that is my favorite chicken behavior. I also have to keep an eye out for hawks too but they only look up at the sky if there is something in the sky.

When I took mine out the other day, they ignored the flock of black birds and geese that flew overhead. But a few of them definitely looked up when a plane went by.

I know I already commented on these, but I have to comment again. These are truly fabulous. I can’t decide which I like better. I think they are both worthy of entering picture of the week or calendar contest.

Thanks.

Went to tractor supply got chicken food, scratch and cedar shavings to clean out the coop so they have a pleasant place to lay and rest their heads.

Cedar = bad for chickens. Needs to be pine shavings.

 

[Ponypoor]

Thirsty Thursday wasn't a success here, but I managed to get some photos from the previous days.
Temperatures are slowly dropping back to normal seasonals ( meaning under 30f /0c) and I'm also getting a hot water bottle in bed ! Our bedroom isn't heated, and I've noticed I sleep so much better when it gets cold.

I was wondering for those of you that live in real cold climates : do you have special clothes to deal with it, or do you just stay inside most of the time ? Also, are houses very well isolated or do you spend crazy amounts heating ? Sorry, these are very naïve questions I realize . It made me laugh so much when I lived in the US as a teen and I was asked a few times if we had television .

Merle is now laying normally . I'm very relieved!

Let's have a drink
View attachment 3338347
Léa and Merle
View attachment 3338351
Théo and Cannelle
View attachment 3338358
Merle and Piou-piou's eggs
View attachment 3338365

Cold Weather survival!

The biggest challenge with extreme cold I find is making sure my vehicles are plugged in (search block heater), fuelled up full, and a good set of windshield wipers. The power cord we use to plug in needs to be coated in rubber or plastic that won’t crack in extreme cold (yes I have been there with cheap extension cords).

Clothing wise I have a pair of insulated coveralls (like a snowsuit), some people prefer overalls (leggings), I have boots good to -70C, and a warm toque (cap). For hands mittens are the best rather than gloves, and these days you can get gloves, mittens, and socks that have heating elements in them!

Scarves or face covering to protect your cheeks and nose from freezing also needed esp when it’s windy!

Most housing these days are built with an R20 rating where I live, that’s generally 6” of insulation in walls, attics have at least a good foot of usually loose blown in insulation. Older house esp those more than 50 years old likely have no insulation at all.

I heat with a forced air propane furnace and my last invoice was over $300 for the month we have a fireplace and a wood stove but we rarely use them as wood it expensive and hard to put up and not as efficient as the furnace.

When I am home the only time I go outside is to go to the barn to do chores hahaha!

 

[Ponypoor]

When I took mine out the other day, they ignored the flock of black birds and geese that flew overhead. But a few of them definitely looked up when a plane went by.


Thanks.


Cedar = bad for chickens. Needs to be pine shavings.

Why is cedar bad?

 

[TX Chick Noob]

Thirsty Thursday

 

[TX Chick Noob]

Why is cedar bad?

I have seen it posted many times that the oils in cedar are bad for them. I can’t remember if it is respiratory or something else, would have to search.

I have also seen a few people say they use them with no issues. I think a lot of it depends on the ventilation and several other factors. So most people say to err on the side of caution and avoid it.

 

[Ponypoor]

I've got to be extra nice because santa knows all I do and I want a nice present this year. I'll just pretend I'm being good

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If I'm a very good boy father Christmas will leave me a present. I don't like being good for long, how many days till Christmas
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Hahaha that was great

We have a lot of talented story tellers here!