IA here

[Tiramisu]

Quote:
Over exaggerating a bit aren't you?

Here is a pic of the 2 orloff chicks!

Wing feathers are comming in good and they are starting to get feathers in on their chests!

 

[LadyWoodsong]

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Yes, I was a little surprised too that we didn't get out early.

The highway was fine going home but the visibility was very limited. The gravel road we live on always blows shut pretty badly. I was really worried about my husband getting home yesterday after work. It was whiteout conditions and our driveway blows completely shut. He hit a pretty deep drift and it knocked the serpentine belt off of his vehicle. Then he got stuck in the end of our driveway trying to drive in. Thank God we have a tractor.

It DOES feel like -400F!!!!!

 

[mrandmrschicken]

Quote:
Over exaggerating a bit aren't you?

Here is a pic of the 2 orloff chicks!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/9864_dsc00880.jpg
Wing feathers are comming in good and they are starting to get feathers in on their chests!

They look just like the 4 that hatched here. Lora, was looking at Jerrits chicken pics on Facebook and suddenly yelled... "There's Brooster, my rooster"! After I picked myself up off the floor... she let me see them too. I miss Brooster and the sissies...

I am getting very close to beginning to market the young Orloffs.
I will wait til after this next week, all week long highs in the single digits!
Will have to time any more hatches or sales so they do not collide with our possible trip to the Keys in February. Lora is already packed (not really but would go in a heartbeat just like the boys) but I am kinda dragging my feet. It is completely the opposite of the way things normally work around here.

As tough as things are or can be, an old boss of mine was so right a long time ago when he told me if you get the chance to take a trip like that go! The opportunity may never arise again. I turned down several trips to the Grand Cayman and regret that so I don't want to do the same thing with the Keys trip.
I always think back to this pic...

and the fact that we NEVER traveled when I was a kid, never.

 

[mrandmrschicken]

Quote:
Yes, I was a little surprised too that we didn't get out early.

The highway was fine going home but the visibility was very limited. The gravel road we live on always blows shut pretty badly. I was really worried about my husband getting home yesterday after work. It was whiteout conditions and our driveway blows completely shut. He hit a pretty deep drift and it knocked the serpentine belt off of his vehicle. Then he got stuck in the end of our driveway trying to drive in. Thank God we have a tractor.

It DOES feel like -400F!!!!!

Wow, was your husband ever lucky to be in the drive! That could have been a cold walk home.. Brrrr. Did the motor get dried out okay?
I bought some oyster shell this am and added it to the chicken feed.
The Bearded Circus Lady, (a silver wheaten Americana), has gone broody. I saw her hunkered down in a nest box yesterday with two Delaware sitting on top of the nest box with their little legs crossed, waiting, staring down and in at her. She is in the maternity ward now. When I discovered her, she had no eggs so I gave her a wooden egg but this am she layed one. one of her own, not a wooden egg LOL.
Sorry about the sales pitch in the previous post, just talking out loud, trying to sell myself on an idea I guess and thinking about a problem tenant we have in one of the rentals. 2 1/2 months behind in the rent and I had to lay down the law last night. I feel sorry for the guy but, that doesn't pay the taxes and we've given him a long time to get things worked out. He will be mostly caught up in 2 weeks and then slowly pick up the balance. I don't like to send out Guido and the knee cap squad but I will when necessary!

 

[harleyjo]

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Chickens need 14 hours of light a day for their bodies to kick into laying gear. Give them a flourescent bulb, it's much cheaper! Also... boost their feed with oyster shell then in a few days you should have happy layers and full egg cartons!

I did have a flourescent bulb in there on a timer before all the cold weather hit. Then I had a few sneezing so figured I needed more heat. So I went to a heat bulb 24/7. Should I go back to the flourescent on a timer again?

 

[mrandmrschicken]

Quote:
Chickens need 14 hours of light a day for their bodies to kick into laying gear. Give them a flourescent bulb, it's much cheaper! Also... boost their feed with oyster shell then in a few days you should have happy layers and full egg cartons!

I did have a flourescent bulb in there on a timer before all the cold weather hit. Then I had a few sneezing so figured I needed more heat. So I went to a heat bulb 24/7. Should I go back to the flourescent on a timer again?

Use both light and heater. Unless you want to wait til after the cold spell the next few days.

 

[harleyjo]

Well this is our first year and our coop is not ideally set up yet. So we have done deep litter, put in some insulation but I know next year as we have more money to work with we plan to build a box or something to put a heater into. Right now the heat light is the only heat.

 

[mrandmrschicken]

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The heat lamp should be fine but you can always leave the light on too. Lots of people leave a light on 24/7. Also make sure you give them lots of corn, it'll help keep them warm.

 

[pbjmaker]

Quote:
The heat lamp should be fine but you can always leave the light on too. Lots of people leave a light on 24/7. Also make sure you give them lots of corn, it'll help keep them warm.

And then it will be the only thing they want to eat, ignoring the layer crumbles...

 

[harleyjo]

Quote:
The heat lamp should be fine but you can always leave the light on too. Lots of people leave a light on 24/7. Also make sure you give them lots of corn, it'll help keep them warm.

And then it will be the only thing they want to eat, ignoring the layer crumbles...

I don't know about that... mine seem to prefer crumbles over corn any day of the week.