I DO NOT LIKE IT!

[Mom 2em All]

I am frozen- and I have decided that I really DO NOT LIKE carrying water out to the chickens in freezing weather! AND...no matter how careful I am, it sloshes on me. So, then I have wet arm/leg trying to get in chicken yard while they are trying to get out.

I put their waterer on cinder blocks inside the coop so it wouldnt freeze...but they built a shavings mountain so they could fill the waterer anyhow. (I know they did this on purpose.)

AND I don't understand why they won't eat cracked corn? I feed them layer crumbles (they snubbed pellets) and scratch- but they leave the corn. They love corn on the cob, but why wont they eat cracked corn?

Spoiled birds.

Anyhow, I am just ranting.

 

[The Chicken Lady]

It sounds like you could use a new project next summer -- getting electricity and some water heating/circulation equipment installed in your coop.

 

[chicken stalker]

Everything is frozen here too. I have one of those warmers from TSC in my indoor run and the one outside I bring in every night. I gave them oatmeal yesterday....at first they were unsure but it was all gone later. My duck current has no pond...froze solid. Should I get a bird bath warmer for it? or will she be fine without a pool for the next 5 months?

 

[Pumpkinpup]

I hate the morning drudgery of filling waterers in winter too! It just no fun!

 

[junebug7334]

I bring my waterers in at night-wash them and then in the morning fill with hot/warm water and take them out. It' not as good as some ideas but I was also tired of frozen cold and wet!

 

[Daycare Mom]

It was so cold here all day yesterday, that I had to go out 3 times and get them fresh unfrozen water. I am to cheap to heat the water so I use the bottom half of a milk jug. They are flexable enough that I can just pop out the ice and refill with fresh water. It works good for me. Then I am not carrying a huge sloshing bucket, just a gallon milk jug or 3!

 

[Jennyhaschicks]

I feel your pain. Every morning I head out there I think about how much easier it was when it was warm. This morning I asked dh to go out and give the chickens fresh water and he sorta gave me this look like he didn't really want to.

 

[Rte.66_chicks]

Living here in northwestern AZ, the waters don't freeze as often as most places, but the grateful response of the chooks to liquid water makes it worthwhile. Of course, once a day for a few weeks isn't anything like being where the temp. doesn't get above freezing for weeks. If I had to do it three times a day, I'd be looking at the heated waterers.

 

[HennyPennies2007]

I have an extra waterer that I use in case of whatever. This year I keep that in the house and trade them off. Fill one... take it out... bring the other one in...repeat as necessary. I can live with doing wet chores in the cold... but add OKlahoma wind and I want to make it as dry as possible!!
Who wants to be damp AND frozen.

 

[cheeps]

Have you tried filling your waterer with warm water? That way if it gets on you, you won't freeze! My babies really seem to enjoy a warm beverage in the morning!

I'm in NC but we are having an unusually cold fall! I can't get used to this!