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[tamieshobbyfarm]

I opened the door today for a little while. The chickens came out a little bit. They did not stay out long though.

My husband said something about the weather being bad in the morning.

It has to get warmer, Right?

 

[jkcove08]

We are in for another 4 to 8 inches of snow tomorrow afternoon into the night. I sure hope it putters out before Tuesday morning. Our kids sure dont need to miss anymore school!!!! I am hoping that it will turn to snow before hitting us too. I think below I80 is suppose to get more rain and freezing rain. I opened the door to my coop today so I am not sure who all came out. I know some of my guineas are out. Otherwise my geese and turkeys and sheep are running around the snow. They all come out in the day and then go into the barn at night. Everyone is pretty good about that. I have to go out and clean a big water trough to bring into the house. I have a bunch of chicks hatching this week and I also plan on calling the local hatchery to see if they have any extras that they need to get rid of. They will sell them for cheeper prices when they are over run. I dont know how far they have started into this years hatching season though. They havnt posted 2008 prices yet. I want to get about 50 to 100 chicks soon to have them laying by this fall. Oh well, we will see. I sure hope spring gets here soon, this snow is getting depressing!! Jenn

 

[IowaChicken]

Yea Chanin,

I'm watching that too. We have about 2 1/2 miles of gravel road to drive to get to a blacktop and if we get anywhere near what they are talking about it's will be another couple of days snowed in here. They are saying NW winds which kills us as we are on a north / south road and I can just tell you where those drifts will be. I'm lined up to get my chicks at the end of March from Schlet's (sp?) hatchery so all I have to worry about now are our 2 dogs. Fortunetly our 9 year old likes the challenge of climbing the drifts to get out to the barn to take care of them. I can deal with the snow but the ice under the snow really bites! Good Luck!

Kent

 

[IowaChicken]

Hi Jenn,

Latest I've heard is the heaviest band is supposed to run from Cedar Rapids to Sterling, IL so we are all in the bullseye. Let's just hope the ice is kept to a minimum!

Kent

 

[greenmulberry]

All the built up snow is causing the top of my run, which is chicken wire, to sag badly. As it thawed some today, I went and scooped a bunch off, but I could only get so much because I cannot reach that far with the shovel. I think it may cave in if much more piles up.

.

I will just have to fix it better this summer.

 

[momof3]

Ugh. Snow. Well at least we didn't get the freezing rain and only about 3 inches of snow. But the snow is so heavy. I went out to the barn(goats, pony) and the bottom door is frozen shut. Kent I saw calamus-wheatland was canceled. Ours started out as a two hour late start by 8:30 they had cancelled it. Now the sun is shining and it looks beautiful. It can melt any day now.

 

[jkcove08]

Everyone keep your fingers crossed, it is suppose to get to 40 this Sunday!!!!!!! The worse thing is where will all the water go?? lol We have so much water in the ground already.. I guess it is better snow!! Jenn

 

[IowaChicken]

Hi Channin,

Yea, I'm glad they cancelled, but we couldn't get out anyway. If the wind is strong out of the NW it only takes a few inches to drift our road closed. We only got about 3 1/2 inches here and very little ice to we were lucky. Laura, the snow on your run reminds me about how I'm going to do mine. I need to get it done in the next few months and was planning on putting chicken wire over the top too, but can see that heavy snow can make that a challenge. Is that what the rest of you do too, or are there any other ideas that may work better here in the winter wonderland.

My fingers are crossed for a warm up, and for some flippers to deal with the pools of water that I know are coming.

Kent

 

[greenmulberry]

Quote:
yes, the chicken wire was a mistake. Snow builds up on it, and don't even get me started about ice!

That first ice storm we had, it was completely coated with ice.

It does work well for the summer though. What I am going to do I think, is fix/tighten the chicken wire this summer, and then for next winter I will get some of that corrugated plastic roof material, and put that over the run, and raise up one side so it is a bit slanted. The hens really do appreciate a snow free run. And then in the summer I will just store the roofing in the garage, so they can get their nice sunshine and eat the wild cherries that fall into their run.

 

[momof3]

Laura I like your run too. So chicken wire doesn't work either. Mine was covered this fall with netting. Well that did not survive the strong winds or the ice we had.

Kent you had better add a snorkel too. I'm dreading how much water will be around after the snow melts. This is our first winter here and we have found lots of leaks in the buildings. It will be a busy spring and summer on repairs.

Most of my chickens have free run of the farm. I do have a pen that I use when we go away. I will say since moving here we have made a fox very healthy. He or she got a lot of our younger chickens.
Chanin