Hot Water Heater Leak

[AlHawk]

I thought I was being smart and ultimately, I think I am doing things right but this goes to show Murphy can rear his ugly head almost anywhere.

I got my 2-3 day old chicks on the 9th. Being in Florida, we don't get very cold but in Dec/Jan we SHOULD be in the 70's and down to 40-50 at night. I was going to outsmart this brooding thing by putting these chicks in our utility room with the hot water heater and washer/dryer to keep them in that 80-90 degree range that everyone talks about. All was going great until this morning when I went out to feed them and found the hot water hose had burst and it was like a sauna in there. It was almost 94 degrees and steamy from the 140 degree water. I was able to open the doors and windows and brought the temp down quickly and the chicks are fine but what a scare!

So, I tell this story just make y'all think a minute about little things that can go wrong. What if I would have been at work and the water had run for 6 hours? Can you say steamed chickie? Yeah. Well, all is well that ends well. Chickie's were all ****** off when I cleaned their cage and they're acting like chickens. (scratching pine chips and flinging them out of the cage). No damage done.

Last word. I swore I was NOT going to get attached to these birds like a pet. They were going to be farm animals producing eggs/meat. No names and no attachments. I am an old, fat, mean, unfeeling man. I am immune to cuteness (just ask my grand daughter). Now, all of those who believe me raise their hand and say hello to Chicken Nugget, Mine and Bulldozer.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Good thing you caught it in time, you would have to be really mean not to get attached to little chicks. I worry about mine until they get out of the brooder and into the big shed, they are like kids sometimes, especially if you mess with them enough. Hope you get them raised without further incidences.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Glad this has a happy ending!
Oh no, not the dreaded attachment!

Now repeat after me:
I'm not going to name them, I might have to eat them.
I won't put cameras in the coop and run so I can see what they are doing (even though they are right THERE outside my window).
I won't drive my loved ones insane by giving them a play by play narrative of what each chicken did that day. (Poop tales and all)

I won't take my phone, tablet or other electronic device which is loaded with pictures of my chickens to family gatherings and make a point to show EACH person pictures of my chicken ~ hey, I have to suffer through your kids photos, so it's only fair.

Now check back in another couple of days, and let us know how that's working for you.