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You once asked about slippery conditions and walking with cleats. Well today we had freezing rain most of the day, and it made the walk to the barn this evening rather treacherous.

Snow may look ‘pretty’ but all I see is more work. I have to wear more clothes (means more laundry), spend money on winter gear (boots, coats, gloves, etc), I have to put on all those clothes to go to the barn, heaven help me if I need to piddle! Have to take it all off go piddle, and pour it all back on again! Have clear snow from the vehicles before driving, clear walkways, and the barn doors.

Getting hay to the horses is more difficult, and have to clear the path to the manure pile, pushing the wheelbarrow through snow is exhausting.

And it’s slippery esp when it melts and suddenly freezes like today, and then gets rain or freezing rain on it.

Driving in it is dangerous, and stressful. The cold makes one exhausted just trying to keep warm, and the heating of the house and businesses causes the air to be super dry, your skin on your hands gets dry and cracks and bleeds, your feet are always cold.

As I sit here typing I am cold and want to curl up with a blanket but I have to get dressed in all that gear and slip slid my way to the barn, oh and do I mention how dark it gets so early?

Weather whining tax

Saturday they were able to get a bit of dirt bathing done.
View attachment 4003903

And when it became too chilly the girls knew where to warm up
View attachment 4003904
How far to the barn? Be careful. Makes me shudder.
 
Which reminds me, I’m back in the employ of the USMS as of tomorrow. A special cold case has been reopened, and I was asked (today) if I could assist with the investigation because new evidence has emerged and started up the process and possibly the apprehension of the perpetrator.
I had worked this case before my retirement, but it turned cold.
EXCELLENT!
 
Super Busy Sunday

I got a reprieve with the weather yesterday and had an opportunity to correct my poor behavior and get the coop complex ready for winter. It was 57 F (14C) and I took advantage of it.

It started with a deep clean of all coops.

Cluckle Hut
Let's start with the Cluckle Hut as other adjustments were needed.

All cleaned out

Nest box
20241208_122816.jpg


Coop
20241208_124112.jpg
20241208_124128.jpg


You can see the heating panel in the photos above facing down the roost. It was there to keep Betty and Phyllis warnm in the winter. There is no reason for it to be up there any longer so I moved it down to nest box so Hattie can curl up next to it on cold winter nights.

20241208_133508.jpg


20241208_133453.jpg

This necessitated a re-routing of the wire which I am not entirely happy with but which should work for now. You can see it going behind the lower roost in the pictures above and behind the food and water dishes below.

The nest box with the heater panel along the wall and deep straw.

20241208_140557.jpg


The coop all strawed back up.
20241208_162646.jpg
20241208_162637.jpg



Main Coop
I then cleaned out the Main Coop.

Nest boxes
20241208_135706.jpg


Main Area
20241208_134113.jpg


I then re-strawed the nest boxes
20241208_140018.jpg


And piled the straw in the main coop, awaiting my helper. I have gone 2-3 inches deep with the straw so the can nest up and stay warm in the winter.



I wound up with a nice even spread of straw. Aurora is super reliable when it comes to spreading straw. Watch at the end when she realizes she is on camera.

A nice even spread
20241208_141702.jpg


Then it was time to get the shower curtains up to protect the run and porch from snow and wind. I also had to repair this damage from the wind storm last week.
20241208_151926.jpg


Porch, side door, and lower section done. Aurora inspecting my work.
20241208_151914.jpg


Side of the run complete.
20241208_155231.jpg


Wind damaged section repaired
20241208_162108.jpg


Sealed up to protect them all from the worst.

I decided to put straw on the porch as well as it is now waterproof with the shower curtain on. Aster and Lady F were enjoying scratching around until some one arrived and drove them off.



Those no Longer with Us
I then decided to deal with the bum silhouettes and their place in the run. I re-organized the ones already there and took down Phyllis and Glynda and with my heart feeling heavy put them up in the run with all the others that have left us.

20241208_165644.jpg


20241208_165705.jpg


20241208_165354.jpg


I need to make Aster a silhouette along with one for Sylvie and Legertha. It is wrong that they are not represented. I just have never been able to bring myself to make them one simply to put into the run. It's just so sad.

A lot of the silhouettes in the run need to be repainted but they remain as they were when everyone passed. I want them to look nice though. I suppose I will repaint them one by one this winter.

That was a full day. However with the bad weather today, I believe they appreciated the updated digs.
 
Super Busy Sunday

I got a reprieve with the weather yesterday and had an opportunity to correct my poor behavior and get the coop complex ready for winter. It was 57 F (14C) and I took advantage of it.

It started with a deep clean of all coops.

Cluckle Hut
Let's start with the Cluckle Hut as other adjustments were needed.

All cleaned out

Nest box
View attachment 4003528

Coop
View attachment 4003529View attachment 4003530

You can see the heating panel in the photos above facing down the roost. It was there to keep Betty and Phyllis warnm in the winter. There is no reason for it to be up there any longer so I moved it down to nest box so Hattie can curl up next to it on cold winter nights.

View attachment 4003532

View attachment 4003531
This necessitated a re-routing of the wire which I am not entirely happy with but which should work for now. You can see it going behind the lower roost in the pictures above and behind the food and water dishes below.

The nest box with the heater panel along the wall and deep straw.

View attachment 4003538

The coop all strawed back up.
View attachment 4003545View attachment 4003544


Main Coop
I then cleaned out the Main Coop.

Nest boxes
View attachment 4003534

Main Area
View attachment 4003533

I then re-strawed the nest boxes
View attachment 4003537

And piled the straw in the main coop, awaiting my helper. I have gone 2-3 inches deep with the straw so the can nest up and stay warm in the winter.



I wound up with a nice even spread of straw. Aurora is super reliable when it comes to spreading straw. Watch at the end when she realizes she is on camera.

A nice even spread
View attachment 4003539

Then it was time to get the shower curtains up to protect the run and porch from snow and wind. I also had to repair this damage from the wind storm last week.
View attachment 4003541

Porch, side door, and lower section done. Aurora inspecting my work.
View attachment 4003540

Side of the run complete.
View attachment 4003542

Wind damaged section repaired
View attachment 4003543

Sealed up to protect them all from the worst.

I decided to put straw on the porch as well as it is now waterproof with the shower curtain on. Aster and Lady F were enjoying scratching around until some one arrived and drove them off.



Those no Longer with Us
I then decided to deal with the bum silhouettes and their place in the run. I re-organized the ones already there and took down Phyllis and Glynda and with my heart feeling heavy put them up in the run with all the others that have left us.

View attachment 4003547

View attachment 4003548

View attachment 4003546

I need to make Aster a silhouette along with one for Sylvie and Legertha. It is wrong that they are not represented. I just have never been able to bring myself to make them one simply to put into the run. It's just so sad.

A lot of the silhouettes in the run need to be repainted but they remain as they were when everyone passed. I want them to look nice though. I suppose I will repaint them one by one this winter.

That was a full day. However with the bad weather today, I believe they appreciated the updated digs.
Such good helpers w/ the straw ~ teehee!

The ones who are gone never leave us w/o good or funny moments to remember ❤️.
 
I'm going to try to clean my coops out this week. I need to borrow my dad's bleach spray bottle because all of mine are being used at the moment.
Been browsing EBAY for hatching eggs, there are so many types of chickens on there! Colors I've never even heard of!
Screenshot_20241209_203730_eBay.jpg
Blue partridge cochin
Screenshot_20241209_203705_eBay.jpg
Crele English Orpington
Screenshot_20241209_203641_eBay.jpg
Double blue laced barnvelder
Screenshot_20241209_203610_eBay.jpg
Chocolate laced silver orpington
Screenshot_20241209_203947_eBay.jpg
Chocolate white crested polish
Screenshot_20241209_203927_eBay.jpg
Golden laced cochin
Screenshot_20241209_203916_eBay.jpg
And of course, gorgeous dark cornish.

My incubator will be running nonstop once spring hits, that's for sure!
 
Super Busy Sunday

I got a reprieve with the weather yesterday and had an opportunity to correct my poor behavior and get the coop complex ready for winter. It was 57 F (14C) and I took advantage of it.

It started with a deep clean of all coops.

Cluckle Hut
Let's start with the Cluckle Hut as other adjustments were needed.

All cleaned out

Nest box
View attachment 4003528

Coop
View attachment 4003529View attachment 4003530

You can see the heating panel in the photos above facing down the roost. It was there to keep Betty and Phyllis warnm in the winter. There is no reason for it to be up there any longer so I moved it down to nest box so Hattie can curl up next to it on cold winter nights.

View attachment 4003532

View attachment 4003531
This necessitated a re-routing of the wire which I am not entirely happy with but which should work for now. You can see it going behind the lower roost in the pictures above and behind the food and water dishes below.

The nest box with the heater panel along the wall and deep straw.

View attachment 4003538

The coop all strawed back up.
View attachment 4003545View attachment 4003544


Main Coop
I then cleaned out the Main Coop.

Nest boxes
View attachment 4003534

Main Area
View attachment 4003533

I then re-strawed the nest boxes
View attachment 4003537

And piled the straw in the main coop, awaiting my helper. I have gone 2-3 inches deep with the straw so the can nest up and stay warm in the winter.



I wound up with a nice even spread of straw. Aurora is super reliable when it comes to spreading straw. Watch at the end when she realizes she is on camera.

A nice even spread
View attachment 4003539

Then it was time to get the shower curtains up to protect the run and porch from snow and wind. I also had to repair this damage from the wind storm last week.
View attachment 4003541

Porch, side door, and lower section done. Aurora inspecting my work.
View attachment 4003540

Side of the run complete.
View attachment 4003542

Wind damaged section repaired
View attachment 4003543

Sealed up to protect them all from the worst.

I decided to put straw on the porch as well as it is now waterproof with the shower curtain on. Aster and Lady F were enjoying scratching around until some one arrived and drove them off.



Those no Longer with Us
I then decided to deal with the bum silhouettes and their place in the run. I re-organized the ones already there and took down Phyllis and Glynda and with my heart feeling heavy put them up in the run with all the others that have left us.

View attachment 4003547

View attachment 4003548

View attachment 4003546

I need to make Aster a silhouette along with one for Sylvie and Legertha. It is wrong that they are not represented. I just have never been able to bring myself to make them one simply to put into the run. It's just so sad.

A lot of the silhouettes in the run need to be repainted but they remain as they were when everyone passed. I want them to look nice though. I suppose I will repaint them one by one this winter.

That was a full day. However with the bad weather today, I believe they appreciated the updated digs.
Job well done ♥️

I hear you on the ‘heavy heart’, I have lost so many horses and pets over they yrs. I dread the time when I need to deal with Truly, she is doing well so I take each day as they come.

But I also laugh at her antics and those of the chooks too. We have to take good with the bad when we have our pets - or anything really.

Please post photos of the fluffy butts when you have completed them ♥️
 
I'm going to try to clean my coops out this week. I need to borrow my dad's bleach spray bottle because all of mine are being used at the moment.
Been browsing EBAY for hatching eggs, there are so many types of chickens on there! Colors I've never even heard of!
View attachment 4003925
Blue partridge cochin
View attachment 4003926
Crele English Orpington
View attachment 4003927
Double blue laced barnvelder
View attachment 4003928
Chocolate laced silver orpington
View attachment 4003933
Chocolate white crested polish
View attachment 4003934
Golden laced cochin
View attachment 4003935
And of course, gorgeous dark cornish.

My incubator will be running nonstop once spring hits, that's for sure!
Team Cochin all the way for the win!!
 

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