Icelandic Chickens

[kathyinmo]

Honestly, I do not know how anyone lives in places with heat like this for long periods of time. I can hardly take this. 4PM and 103 here. The 10 day forecast is looking just as bad, with 100 - 108* weather to look forward to (with heat index higher, of course). We have been under "heat advisories," for days and days. Folks are checking in on neighbors that may not have air conditioning, pets are being taken inside, etc. I am sooooooo worried about my flocks. My air conditioner rarely even cycles off.

This morning, when I got home from work, it was only 75*. I let the birds out and they were soooooooo happy to run around. I let all the girls out, and kept the boys penned (so the girls didn't have to be chased around). Most of them seek shade of the timber and take dirt baths.

Weather like this is sure to convert nonbelievers, if they think of the alternative location to reside after death.

 

[tazcat70]

Quote:
I put a fan in my brooder coop and everyone else it out running around. Earlier this week I set the nozzle on my hose to mist and had it running all afternoon and early evening. Thankfully I did not lose anyone on our 111* degree day. I am soooooo looking forward to some cool weather, but there is none in the forecast. Last night it was 10 pm and still @100*!

 

[The Sheriff]

Kathy, Taz, Shawn, etc, I feel so bad for you guys in the heat. You have the weather we usually have this time of the year! It's 74 degrees today and the highest temp in the next ten day forecast is 95. Hoping for the best for you and your flocks.

 

[kathyinmo]

I hate to even close up and lock the coops at night, due to the heat. I don't work tonight, so I think I will sit outside late (in case of predators) and leave the doors open until later. I dunno, maybe.......... I have trapped 3 raccoons so far, but none the past 2 nights. THAT worries me.

 

[Mahonri]

My big coop chickens are LOVING life again with the new AC unit. Sometimes I go in there and don't want to walk back out.

It's 104 outside at present.

 

[tazcat70]

Thanks Mary!

Kathy, I hope they have all been caught! I am so sorry that you are having to deal with the heat and lots of predators!

Shawn, I am so sorry to hear about your bird.

 

[Flawedatdesign]

I think it's hot every where this week. This Humidity is the killer. The bad thing with me having to stay indoors is I want to keep looking at my eggs in lockdown. That and I have tons to do outside. Hope everyones birds are holding up okay. Does it get this warm in Iceland?

 

[Mahonri]

"Iceland's highest air temperature recorded was 30.5°C (86.9°F) in 1939 on the southeastern coast. The lowest temperature was -38°C (- 36.4°F) in 1918 at Grímsstaðir in the northeast of Iceland. Temperature records for Reykjavik are 24.8°C (76.6°F) on 11 August 2004, and -24.5°C (-12.1°F) on 21 January 1918."

I'm probably killing these birds....

 

[kathyinmo]

I did not realize it was so cool in Iceland. I thought it was warmer, at least some of the time.

Monthly average temperatures for Reykjavik, Iceland, in Fahrenheit

 

[NotAFarm]

Wow, Kathy, Taz, Laree and Mahonri, I hope you get some relief from the heat soon!

Shawn, what a terrible thing to happen, but glad only one was lost.

Kelly, Luna and Briet are beautiful girls!!

Michelle, how great that your Icelandics include their turkey buddies in everything they do!! Sounds like you have a great set-up for them! Best wished to H2B on his birthday!

So.....I did something.....we'll see if was brilliant or really stupid soon. I had put 15 eggs (Anna's) in the incubator. Remember how I mentioned some of them were a couple of weeks old and wondered how they would do? I marked the old ones with an "O" (old) on the end and the ones laid within the week with a "N" (new) and the one laid on Thursday that I set them with a "F" (fresh). I candled last night in preparation for lockdown and the fresh one and two marked "O" were the only ones that did not develop.

Now........Anna had been laying in a nest since I set the other eggs and I just left them to see if she would go broody again if I didn't take her eggs. Asta has started back laying and also added couple eggs to the nest. Three days ago, Anna sat on the next for half the day, I put her in a coop that night and the first thing when I let her out, she returned to the nest and stayed on it. I left her on it last night and this morning she didn't get off, she roared her dino roar when I opened the feed box next to her nest so I knew she was serious. I decided at work that when I got home for lunch I'd see if she was still on neat and if she was I would fix her a broody box after work and put her in it with the 12 eggs from the incubator and take the ones she'd been sitting on and put them into the incubator. After work, and supper, I put everyone to bed and got the broody box all set and went to get the eggs. When I opened the door, I heard a peep!

I'm too late, I thought but there wasn't a chick out, just one peeping from inside the egg!! I put the eggs into the warm towel in a basket and at least three others peeped when I moved them. I quickly put them in the nest and took Anna from her nest and placed her on the eggs. I heard one of the eggs peep and Anna cooed at it and gently nestled down on the eggs. We'll see in the morning if I did a brilliant or stupid thing by moving them this late in the game.

Seinna, The Other Mary