Illinois...

[Molpet]

He looks right at home in the snow. Is he an outside dog or does he enjoy the best of both worlds? I bet he does a decent job at keeping the hawks away.

I miss our Richter. He loved being outside & I could trust him around the flock. Puppy Kepler is too energetic & not trained. It will be a while before he'll be allowed out back. (He doesn't listen & has his own agenda when running around outside.)

He has the best of both worlds
I had to get a shock collar to train him... before chickens... He was a shelter 3 yr old. Widow turned him in because she couldn't handle him... He would drag the shelter workers across the yard to bark at the cows behind the shelter... I had to work with him alot .. don't need the shock collar anymore...he is now a good boy.. but he is slowing down. Max is about 10 now.. still chasing the hawks, coyotes and raccoons...if he is awake.

 

[BReeder!]

I haven't been on in a few weeks. It's been crazy at work and at home. B3's second birthday was at the end of October along with Halloween and my wife's birthday was just before. Robert is seeing in faster than I like and that is keeping me busy. Work is work, but it had been busy lately as a sales trainer because everybody needs to compete certain courses by the end of the year.

My chickens are doing well - all 7. The coop is mostly ready for the cold. Deep litter is started in coop and run using leaves mostly. I am coming about adding straw or hay, but finding it cheap had been the problem - nobody near me decided to decorate with straw bales this year.

This first winter with chickens has me worried and I am running out of time. The weather was crap on Saturday and yesterday wad father son time while mom got some needed ladies time with family and friends, so I achieved nothing around the house this weekend. Really hoping for a break in the weather soon to finish winter prep for the chickens.

 

[cavemanrich]

First time chicken owners naturally worry. Just make sure that chickens are dry during winter and out of drafty windy areas.
Straw as run bedding is good because it does not absorb water as hay will. You may find some at Cement Supply locations. Contractors use it to cover the cement as it cures in winter.
As long as chickens have food and fresh water, they will show you that they are hardier than you thought.

 

[BReeder!]

First time chicken owners naturally worry. Just make sure that chickens are dry during winter and out of drafty windy areas.
Straw as run bedding is good because it does not absorb water as hay will. You may find some at Cement Supply locations. Contractors use it to cover the cement as it cures in winter.
As long as chickens have food and fresh water, they will show you that they are hardier than you thought.

Fresh water is getting to be an issue. It is provided fresh daily, but is typically frozen in the morning in the two bell waterer (one plastic in the coop and one metal in the run). We'r have a third waterer that is heated but is a side nipple type and I cannot seem to get them to drink from the nipples. Any ideas to train them to drink from the nipples? I really don't like the idea if a bulb in the coop of run to heat under the bell waterers if I can avoid it. The idea of an electrical fire scares me. I find comfort knowing that the heated nipple waterer only uses something like 10 watts and is nof easy to break like a bulb. I may consider a reptile mat under the metal waterer if absolutely necessary.

 

[Molpet]

Fresh water is getting to be an issue. It is provided fresh daily, but is typically frozen in the morning in the two bell waterer (one plastic in the coop and one metal in the run). We'r have a third waterer that is heated but is a side nipple type and I cannot seem to get them to drink from the nipples. Any ideas to train them to drink from the nipples? I really don't like the idea if a bulb in the coop of run to heat under the bell waterers if I can avoid it. The idea of an electrical fire scares me. I find comfort knowing that the heated nipple waterer only uses something like 10 watts and is nof easy to break like a bulb. I may consider a reptile mat under the metal waterer if absolutely necessary.

I pick up the waters at night and put them back out in the morning... they don't drink when it's dark
Mine learned the horizontal nipples when they were thirsty... Putt it out in the morning and brought the Bell out mid day.
But layers need water every 2 hrs or egg production drops

 

[cavemanrich]

Fresh water is getting to be an issue. It is provided fresh daily, but is typically frozen in the morning in the two bell waterer (one plastic in the coop and one metal in the run). We'r have a third waterer that is heated but is a side nipple type and I cannot seem to get them to drink from the nipples. Any ideas to train them to drink from the nipples? I really don't like the idea if a bulb in the coop of run to heat under the bell waterers if I can avoid it. The idea of an electrical fire scares me. I find comfort knowing that the heated nipple waterer only uses something like 10 watts and is nof easy to break like a bulb. I may consider a reptile mat under the metal waterer if absolutely necessary.

Read thru this thread and you may get ideas that you can apply to your situation/needs.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/how-do-you-keep-your-water-from-freezing.1211388/

 

[Molpet]

Happy Thanksgiving

Picked up a bunch of pumpkins

 

[Faraday40]

Happy Thanksgiving

Picked up a bunch of pumpkins

View attachment 1597051

What a great Thanksgiving feast for them!

 

[Faraday40]

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
This year I made some cards for my family using scraps of paper, odds & ends, .....and real turkey feathers.

My fav one:

 

[Faraday40]

I was planning to process my turkey hens last weekend. The weather was cold, it started to snow, and we were given a turkey from a friend. So, the turkeys got to stay another week. I doubt they mind. In fact, today they got some leftover green beans, dressing, cranberry sauce, & veggie tray. (No turkey since we try to avoid cannibalism.) My dad was joking that I was "doing it wrong" and "trying to stuff them while still alive".

I hope everyone had a great time visiting with friends & family today.