Our younger chickens are living out in the greenhouse, the youngest (some Barnvelders, Welsummers & Marans) are in a pen to keep them more confined and closer to the heat lamp.
All has been going well but I have been worried about the cold. Of course, the night it is supposed to get down to ONE degree F the heat lamp goes out! AND it would happen on the one day I tell Dh to take my car to work so I can't drive to the store to replace it. But imagine my shock when I notice - after I've poured a few cups of scratch on the bedding, a few large pieces of glass. Half way down the brooder I find small shards in a pile. The heat lamp didn't burn out - it shattered!
As the result of an old accident, I have limited mobility and to make matters worse, the lid to the pen doesn't open all the way (Dh normally takes care of any chores I can't do). There is no way I can get the 7 week old chicks out of that pen OR anyway I can get all of the bedding out. I picked up the larger pieces and scooped up the shards of glass the best I could. I'm sure there are still some out there. All I can do now is cross my fingers and wait to see how many of them decided to eat that wonderful shiny food.
Which makes me wonder - can chickens eat spinach? I remember hearing/reading that spinach is good for cushioning sharp objects going through a digestive tract.
So I guess I'm asking for prayers & good thoughts sent this way - my baby girls are going to need them.
All has been going well but I have been worried about the cold. Of course, the night it is supposed to get down to ONE degree F the heat lamp goes out! AND it would happen on the one day I tell Dh to take my car to work so I can't drive to the store to replace it. But imagine my shock when I notice - after I've poured a few cups of scratch on the bedding, a few large pieces of glass. Half way down the brooder I find small shards in a pile. The heat lamp didn't burn out - it shattered!
As the result of an old accident, I have limited mobility and to make matters worse, the lid to the pen doesn't open all the way (Dh normally takes care of any chores I can't do). There is no way I can get the 7 week old chicks out of that pen OR anyway I can get all of the bedding out. I picked up the larger pieces and scooped up the shards of glass the best I could. I'm sure there are still some out there. All I can do now is cross my fingers and wait to see how many of them decided to eat that wonderful shiny food.
Which makes me wonder - can chickens eat spinach? I remember hearing/reading that spinach is good for cushioning sharp objects going through a digestive tract.
So I guess I'm asking for prayers & good thoughts sent this way - my baby girls are going to need them.
