Getting rough over here

[MissMonty]

At the end of the day do not feel guilty about putting your kids first. I know many animals will actually eat snow as a way to stay hydrated if they are desperate enough. Not a perfect solution but its better than nothing. So if there is snow on the ground they can get some themselves.

As far as everything freezing that is the biggest pain to winter up in the north. I've done all the tricks and honestly most a very temporary fixes that still result in the same frozen water. Best bet is a bucket and go out to break up the ice every couple hours. It takes a while for a good layer of ice to get on there so if you go out every hour or two that'll help you through the day. If you have a plastic bucket beware, do not hit the ice hard or your bucket will crack.

Onto a little more of a touchy subject and I may get some flack over this but if it really is coming down to providing water for your children or your chickens the choice is an easy one. If it really gets to that point it may be a good idea to just put the chickens down, you most certainly don't want them to die of thirst suffering but at the same time you have to do what's best for your family. If it came down to providing necessities for my children to survive or my chickens I wouldn't hesitate. I'm also not sure about your food situation but that could also help in that sense too.

 

[Byrd gal]

Keep us posted. I hope you all make it through this ok. You shouldn't have to be in this position. Totally inexcusable.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Waters out. Power is unreliable.

I feel ya (almost).. it also means no flushing toilet, and here no stove!

I should have invested in a generator years ago.. and maybe it's time you should to?!

We will be replacing our pellet stove that requires power to run the hopper and fan with a wood burning stove that does not require electricity to make heat..

The propane BBQ can be a valuable resource in these times to heat water.

Regarding frozen coop water.. I have seen a poster who composts manure inside a hole and sits the water on top..

https://www.backyardchickens.com/posts/15626545

Hope this helps and your rough time passes quickly!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

If it really gets to that point it may be a good idea to just put the chickens down,

Dear chicken friend... If anyone gives you flack for considering euthanasia as a humane choice, they're misinformed. So glad when someone has the where with all to consider ALL of their options!

Otherwise known as harvesting to those of us who are not in a panic about the emergency that took or is taking place and have had time to consider what action we will take IF/WHEN faced with certain challenges.

I sincerely doubt anyone truly facing life or death of their children would be posting on a chicken forum.. verses a survival type..

In other words.. I'm SURE it's scary!! I believe and hope we (The OP's family and all concerned for them) are not already in actual dire straights.. please take this opportunity to check your own back up water supply!

Hmm, a hand pump added to my well suddenly makes sense. I have seen wind generators.. and TX was windy when we drove through.. these are of course future considerations that won't resolve the current concern.. BUT, it WILL repeat!

 

[ChicNmom]

Unless someone has a giant chicken farm they don't drink that much. I have 19 and a 3 gallon waterer can last 5 days although I usually change it every 3. A few weeks ago I was multitasking and forgot to take off the bottom cap so the dish could fill. They went a full 24 hours with no water. I felt horrible but none got sick or died. They are hardier than people think.

This storm will end. Most people will get through it. The biggest hurdle is lack of experience with this sort of thing down south. Certainly not as devastating as a tornado, hurricane or earthquake. I doubt any people will die of dehydration. Exposure or making bad decisions, like running a car in a closed garage will sadly cause some loss of life.

Valuable lessons can be learned from these experiences. No government can protect you and care for all your needs in an emergency. Everyone should be prepared with the basic necessities of life. Every time we had a storm with a long power outage we learned from it and made adjustments.

 

[Cattle dog Mom]

Unless someone has a giant chicken farm they don't drink that much. I have 19 and a 3 gallon waterer can last 5 days although I usually change it every 3. A few weeks ago I was multitasking and forgot to take off the bottom cap so the dish could fill. They went a full 24 hours with no water. I felt horrible but none got sick or died. They are hardier than people think.

This storm will end. Most people will get through it. The biggest hurdle is lack of experience with this sort of thing down south. Certainly not as devastating as a tornado. I doubt any people will die of dehydration. Exposure or making bad decisions, like running a car in a closed garage will sadly cause some loss of life.

Valuable lessons can be learned from these experiences. No government can protect you and care for all your needs in an emergency. Everyone should be prepared with the basic necessities of life. Every time we had a storm with a long power outage we learned from it and made adjustments.

One thing for the OP and others to keep in mind is that wild birds often go without "water" for MONTHS at a time in the winter. Sure chickens aren't "wild birds", but they ARE birds. I would feed them things that are high in moisture if you have any/ can get any. And if there is snow available for them to get to, that will help too.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Often overlooked - the "chimney starter" for your charcoal grill or barbeque, basically a metal cylinder with a grate and air holes at the bottom, is an extremely efficient low fuel stove Just a handful of charcoal briquets will provide plenty of heat (in the garage or other space you can safely ventilate) to melt snow, ice, etc. you can actually wok cook on one they get so hot, though its not real stable, so I don't recommend.

Courtesy matches and "girl scout water", none of us actually use them anymore, but if you have one rusting away on a back shelf somewhere in a forgotten corner of the shed or garage, now might be the time to generate a little heat looking for it. It will also run on sticks, twigs, any dry wood - and once it gets going, it will dry wet wood quickly too.

Can cobble one together from a metal coffee can and a can opener to make air holes, too - but its getting real hard to find large metal cans anymore.

Hope this tragedy ends soon for you, and the rest of our nation.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

We are without water and power too, we've been gathering snow and melting it to do dishes and flush toilets. We're good on bottled water since the corona hit we got a bit paranoid about not having a stockpile, lol, it should start warming up in a couple days s so stay warm until then

 

[45lk9p459gm-w]

Sorry for the side ways image but BYC won't let me upload Apple images anymore. Anyway this is a "Rocket Stove" I put together awhile back out of curiosity. Very efficient and burns dead fall twigs. Here in east Texas you never know if the power is going to be on when you get up in the morning and it turns out that this stove is easier to fire up and boil water for coffee on than dragging out the generator. If you are interested in it just go to youtube and search for "rocket stove" and you will find all the info on it.

Things will get better for you soon enough though ... I think we are finally out of the woods here ... maybe.

 

[linguini]

Sorry for the side ways image but BYC won't let me upload Apple images anymore. Anyway this is a "Rocket Stove" I put together awhile back out of curiosity. Very efficient and burns dead fall twigs. Here in east Texas you never know if the power is going to be on when you get up in the morning and it turns out that this stove is easier to fire up and boil water for coffee on than dragging out the generator. If you are interested in it just go to youtube and search for "rocket stove" and you will find all the info on it.

Things will get better for you soon enough though ... I think we are finally out of the woods here ... maybe.

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What a great idea! I think we'll try to build one! Where do you find the brick with holes? The stove will be perfect next to a firepit!