Gardening for Old Folks (Adaptative)

[chickmom3941]

Guys, this is our first winter of not adding any supplemental heat in the coop on really cold days, and I'm trying to stay strong, but I'm so worried about the sustained freezing weather we've been having. Do you guys change your chickens diets in super cold temps? I've been giving them a bit more scratch and things like corn, oats, etc. I usually give them a little along with their reg. feed in the morning, then bring them some more a short time before they go up to roost at night, to help keep them warmer overnight. Does that sound like a good method? Are there any particular foods/treats that will help them the most in this weather? Any other suggestions (not diet related)? I'm really fretting about this, though they appear to be handling it pretty well.

 

[rjohns39]

Sounds like you’re defying gravity?? Wow! I’m totally intrigued....would you happen to have a closeup? Do you pinch off the secondary leaves? I usually do this if there’s no buds....b/c
I’m growing tomatoes not leaves. But even trellised the plant gets so heavy and reach over 6ft at the end of summer, that 2 little stings....wow!

I try to keep the leaves trimmed off below the fruit clusters and will spend Sunday mornings lowering the stems and kind of letting them curl up at the bottom. Others I let loop over the top and train back up the strings. I use biodegradable clips from Johnny's to hook them to the twine. My friend was playing with the yo-yo things, but I have never really liked them. Here's a pic from 2015. They are a bit ratty looking

Guys, this is our first winter of not adding any supplemental heat in the coop on really cold days, and I'm trying to stay strong, but I'm so worried about the sustained freezing weather we've been having. Do you guys change your chickens diets in super cold temps? I've been giving them a bit more scratch and things like corn, oats, etc. I usually give them a little along with their reg. feed in the morning, then bring them some more a short time before they go up to roost at night, to help keep them warmer overnight. Does that sound like a good method? Are there any particular foods/treats that will help them the most in this weather? Any other suggestions (not diet related)? I'm really fretting about this, though they appear to be handling it pretty well.

I toss shelled corn in their deep litter, but that is more to convince them to turn it rather than winter supplement. That said, on really cold days I find them dug into the litter, which is somewhat warm from the composting action. Of course I don't have cold like you.

 

[N F C]

I try to keep the leaves trimmed off below the fruit clusters and will spend Sunday mornings lowering the stems and kind of letting them curl up at the bottom. Others I let loop over the top and train back up the strings. I use biodegradable clips from Johnny's to hook them to the twine. My friend was playing with the yo-yo things, but I have never really liked them. Here's a pic from 2015. They are a bit ratty looking

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I toss shelled corn in their deep litter, but that is more to convince them to turn it rather than winter supplement. That said, on really cold days I find them dug into the litter, which is somewhat warm from the composting action. Of course I don't have cold like you.

Bob, I don't think those tomatoes look ratty at all...look pretty good to me! What is the tubing you have inserted into the bottom of the pots? Is that some sort of watering system you have hooked up?

 

[rjohns39]

Bob, I don't think those tomatoes look ratty at all...look pretty good to me! What is the tubing you have inserted into the bottom of the pots? Is that some sort of watering system you have hooked up?

It's a hydroponic system. Those are the drain lines. I have a 25 gallon reservoir buried around the corner to keep water temps stable.

The 2" lines carry the water back to the reservoir and then a pump, pumps the water and nutrients up to the tops of the buckets where drip emitters provide a constant flow of water. This pic was my house in VA before we moved.

In my new garden here I still have to setup my watering system for the raised beds. I like to use rain water, so first I have to put together a catch system and then I'll be able to plumb it in.

I should mention that when I cleaned out the system that fall, some of my plants all stretched out measured in at 26 feet long.

Here's a pic of the greenhouse watering system. 275 gallon reservoir holds the rain water captured in 4-55 gallon barrels each of the pipes feeding the reservoir have float valves and each of the barrels have an overflow that feed different plant zones. Water is pumped from the reservoir into the main tanks under my workbench and then was controlled with automatic timers a pump and valves to automatically water everything twice a day. The cucumbers and melons went crazy making the greenhouse a hard hat area. Had to use a ladder to pick some of them.

 

[N F C]

Wow, that's amazing!

 

[rjohns39]

Wow, that's amazing!

From October through the end of January, I heated the water to 50* and would get tomatoes, peppers, cuke's and herbs through about president's day. Then came hard winter and most everything died off.

ETA: But I could re-plant mid to late march

 

[N F C]

From October through the end of January, I heated the water to 50* and would get tomatoes, peppers, cuke's and herbs through about president's day. Then came hard winter and most everything died off.

I'm not all that familiar with VA and TN weather...do you think you'll be able to get about the same results once your system is completely set up?

 

[rjohns39]

I hope so. TN winter is about a month shorter than VA. We still see hard freeze around president's day, but temps are back up in the 40s by mid March. Here I have a south facing deck that I want to enclose and add heat and humidity to it so maybe get tomatoes year round. And of course I'm dreaming of the orchard and four greenhouses at some point.

 

[N F C]

I hope so. TN winter is about a month shorter than VA. We still see hard freeze around president's day, but temps are back up in the 40s by mid March. Here I have a south facing deck that I want to enclose and add heat and humidity to it so maybe get tomatoes year round. And of course I'm dreaming of the orchard and four greenhouses at some point.

Now that's a dream worth having

 

[FredsGobblers]

@chickmom3941 that is what I do. A bit of grain treats morning and evening here in MO. You may ask in the Surviving Minnesota thread and see what your 'neighbors' do also