INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

Why is everyone talking about next Monday and Tuesday? Down here, we're supposed to have a winter storm tonight. Meanwhile my younger daughter who went to Chicago for New Year's is snowed in.

We have a chance of snow Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday. While it is supposed to be colder on Monday and Tuesday there is no chance of snow.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Hey, folks, happy new year! I haven't posted here in a while, but I have been keeping up on reading. Of course, when the topic of heating the coop comes up, I have to chime in.

I, of course, am completely against heating the coop even in the projected temps that we have coming up. It especially makes me wary when someone says they're going to put a heat lamp in their coop. I'm gonna use big, bold letters here because it needs to be said:

There is NO WAY to make a heat lamp completely safe!

Bolt it down, wire it all together, dust it daily, and you still run the risk of the bulb shattering or the fixtures getting hot enough to ignite dust in the air. Ceramic emitter bulbs have been known to fall off and leave live wires exposed. This is a very real danger, especially with birds flying around and kicking up dust! Of all the things I am against in regards to heating a coop, I am most against the use of a heat lamp in any shape or form!

In regards to whether or not they need it, well, that depends. Adult birds absolutely do not need heat to start with, but if you've gotten them used to heat already, they're going to suffer to have it taken away. You need to have a backup plan ready if the power goes out or if something happens to that heater, because you'll have birds that cannot cope well with the cold on their own as a result. Be able to prepare a room with a heater in your house or garage for your cold-intolerant flock, just in case!

I have not heated my coop in many years, and when I did, I was foolish and stupid and I very nearly caused a coop fire. My girls have gone years, years without any source of heat and I have never lost a bird to heat under normal circumstances. Of course, you have to use common sense--I had a molting hen that was almost completely bare who could not take the cold. I still will not heat my coop, but rather, bring in the bird that is unable to handle the weather. Remember, huddling and moping around is normal for a cold day. Unbalanced 'dizzy-walking' and stumbling is not normal and should be addressed. You have to use your own judgement and observations in these cases.

M2H seems to have learned from me in regards to extension cord safety. If you must use an extension cord as I do, you need to make sure it is rated for outdoor use. You need to make sure it can handle the wattage that will be running through it. You should check the length of it regularly for any signs of fraying or deterioration. You should also dust both ends of it regularly to ensure dust hasn't gotten into it.

In regards to wet birds, I would much rather dry them off before roost time than put them in a freezing coop while still wet, even with a heat source. I would think that moisture that is in the coop under these conditions is going to cause more issues like frostbite. The goal is to have as little moisture in the coop as possible, so limiting ventilation in the wintertime is not good, either. Vents should be above the birds and none should blow directly past them to avoid them feeling drafts. There are also open-air coops in which one wall, preferably facing away from the prevailing wind, is completely open for ventilation. Lots of ventilation, even in the wintertime, will make a healthy coop overall. In other words, absolutely do not close of your coop's ventilation completely in the wintertime!


My plan for the cold weather is to make sure the girls have places to go out of the wind, especially at night. I also will use the 'buddy system'. Everyone's going to be perched with at least one or two buddies to share body heat with. I recall having temps like those predicted last year (look at that, I can say that now!), and my girls did just fine without heat in an uninsulated coop.


Well, now that that's out of my system, I bid you all a fond good-night.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Pipd I respect your views. I think we are (mostly) all adults here and have to make a choice as to what we feel we need to do.
I do not just have chickens, I have other fowl also, and have to make choices for them as well.
I lost guinea keets on the last below zero chill. and do not care to risk further loss.
I have confidence in my DH to plan appropriately for the hazards you have mentioned, My FIL is an electrician.
My dad is an engineer as well. Think we have it covered.
We have to choose what is best for our individual needs. And plan accordingly for possible hazards.
Will I hang a $10 brooder lamp in the coop? NO.
Lets just agree to disagree on this point, I won't risk further loss of guinea or my peafowl due to fear of using heat.
I went against my gut feeling last round of below zero temps, and I lost keets because I was wrong doing so

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

I think I found the Jersey giants Brad was talking about earlier.
http://indianapolis.craigslist.org/grd/4258040875.html

 

[Mother2Hens]

pipd ~ Good to see you back!

LOL Seriously, it is, but where's the photos of Rangi et al?

pipd posted: M2H seems to have learned from me in regards to extension cord safety.

pipd ~ I'm not sure how to say this, and I sincerely mean no disrespect, but I learned about extension cord safety years ago before you were born.

My point was that any electrical device has the potential to cause a fire, so proper precautions should be used. That's why manufacturers put tags and warning stickers on devices and provide a manual. There is no "one size fits all" approach to raising poultry; avian veterinarians and other professional experts disagree on many issues. Regarding taking care of chickens during the cold weather, it's good to have your input and we welcome posts from others as well. Different opinions are interesting and thought-provoking.

Originally Posted by jchny2000
M2H are you thinking bantam, or large frame cochin?
I am back and forth myself. DH wants LF and I love the bantams. Egg size is about the same!
He saw jsummers blue roo last summer and hounds me nonstop about that rooster!
I told him go talk to Jess! So I promised they are the next breed to add.

jchny~ Either one. If bantams lay close to the same size then I'd rather have bantams. I've always like large animals-- large cats, dogs, -- and my Jersey Giant! But, we fell in love with our little bantam Bonbon. And, like I mentioned before, bantams have little poop! lol I like blue-gray, lavender-gray, blue-black splash colors. So is jsummers breeding them? I put in an order with bradselig at one time for two guaranteed female chicks in those colors with one frizzle

, but he ignored me. I guess he's into the modern birds now.

 

[Bruce1]

cccccccchickens thank you very much!!you are all over this lol. Not quite ready I'm my end yet unfortunately. But I believe I've found a breeder in Indiana that has the Golda Miller birds. Which to my understanding is very desirable lol. Just trying to feed my family and help a species at the same time .

 

[bradselig]

[COLOR=800080]pipd ~[/COLOR] [COLOR=8B4513]Good to[/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]see[/COLOR][COLOR=333333] [/COLOR][COLOR=8B4513]you back![/COLOR][COLOR=333333] [/COLOR] [COLOR=8B4513] LOL  Seriously, it is, but where's the photos of Rangi et al?[/COLOR]

[COLOR=333333]pipd posted:  M2H seems to have learned from me in regards to extension cord safety.[/COLOR]

[COLOR=800080]pipd ~[/COLOR][COLOR=8B4513]I'm not sure how to say this, and I sincerely mean no disrespect, but I learned about extension cord safety years ago before you were born.   My point was that any electrical device has the potential to cause a fire, so proper precautions should be used. That's why manufacturers put tags and warning stickers on devices and provide a manual. There is no "one size fits all" approach to raising poultry; avian veterinarians and other professional experts disagree on many issues. Regarding taking care of chickens during the cold weather, it's good to have your input and we welcome posts from others as well. Different opinions are interesting and thought-provoking.  [/COLOR]
[rule]Originally Posted by jchny2000 /img/forum/go_quote.gif

M2H are you thinking bantam, or large frame cochin?
I am back and forth myself. DH wants LF and I love the bantams. Egg size is about the same!
He saw jsummers blue roo last summer and hounds me nonstop about that rooster!
I told him go talk to Jess! So I promised they are the next breed to add.

[COLOR=800000]jchny~[/COLOR] [COLOR=8B4513]Either one. If bantams lay close to the same size then I'd rather have bantams. I've always like large animals-- large cats, dogs, -- and my Jersey Giant! But, we fell in love with our little bantam Bonbon. And, like I mentioned before, bantams have little poop! lol  I like blue-gray, lavender-gray, blue-black splash colors. So is jsummers breeding them? I put in an order with bradselig at one time for two guaranteed female chicks in those colors with one frizzle[/COLOR] [COLOR=8B4513], but he ignored me. I guess he's into the modern birds now.  [/COLOR] 

I have your order down! But now you're going wishy washy on me! Lol jk. I do plan to purchase quite so few eggs here soon, both in LF and bantam. I'm trying not to have any eggs shipped right now (although hard yo do as I already hit Sally up for some eggs!). But are you sticking with Cochins? Or are you going to change your mind again

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Pipd I respect your views. I think we are (mostly) all adults here and have to make a choice as to what we feel we need to do.
I do not just have chickens, I have other fowl also, and have to make choices for them as well.
I lost guinea keets on the last below zero chill. and do not care to risk further loss.
I have confidence in my DH to plan appropriately for the hazards you have mentioned, My FIL is an electrician.
My dad is an engineer as well. Think we have it covered.
We have to choose what is best for our individual needs. And plan accordingly for possible hazards.
Will I hang a $10 brooder lamp in the coop? NO.
Lets just agree to disagree on this point, I won't risk further loss of guinea or my peafowl due to fear of using heat.
I went against my gut feeling last round of below zero temps, and I lost keets because I was wrong doing so

I understand, because I went against my gut feeling to bring her in and I lost my Cricket henny. I just want to be clear that these things are not safe and should not be just willy-nilly thrown into the coop whenever the temps drop beneath freezing--especially when it is adult birds that you're putting the heat in for. Almost every time I've heard about a coop fire it has been as a result of one of those things. I like to think that by saying this over and over again, I can at least convince people to be careful with them, though I'd rather think people are going to see my posts and realize that their adult birds are going to be fine in the cold.

Babies need heat, of course, and when the weather gets cold like this with little warning, you have to use what you have available. My point was not to have everyone ignore their chicks and keets and let them tough through the cold on their own. My point is and has always been that adult chickens (and most other fowl, although I have no idea with exotic pheasants) do not need supplemental heating. Please don't think that I was targeting you.


Edited to clarify.

[COLOR=800080]pipd ~[/COLOR][COLOR=8B4513]I'm not sure how to say this, and I sincerely mean no disrespect, but I learned about extension cord safety years ago before you were born. [/COLOR]  

No offense taken. I only said that because you posted almost my exact statements about extension cords from a couple months ago.

I haven't taken pictures in some time now, but here's Rangi's most recent. I think I may have posted this and the others, so I won't bore y'all with repeat pictures.

 

[chisNchickens]

LOL my BRs are very chatty ladies. My big tom greets me with a thundering gobble and handsome strut! I love the temperament of the breed.
I have a quad of BR, and 1 lone BBW that was small and looks like a normal hen. We kept her, May cross her with my BR tom so see what it gives me.

Good to know my girl is normal. lol. Sometimes I want to chop her danged head off for all the noise! I wonder if she would be more quiet with a male around? We definitely want to get her one soon. Poor lonely girl, though she seems to enjoy the chickens she lives with, a great watchdog too.

We have a chance of snow Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday. While it is supposed to be colder on Monday and Tuesday there is no chance of snow.

According to Indiana University weather we are expecting a blizzard anytime after Saturday I believe. Over a foot of snow to go along with the negative temps. LOVELY.

 

[racinchickins]

Good to know my girl is normal. lol. Sometimes I want to chop her danged head off for all the noise! I wonder if she would be more quiet with a male around? We definitely want to get her one soon. Poor lonely girl, though she seems to enjoy the chickens she lives with, a great watchdog too.

I have 4 hens and a tom. One of the hens is WAY more chatty than the others. Anytime I come near the pen or if she sees me when they are free ranging, it is non-stop chatting and chirping. The others will make conversation with each other, but she is the only one who talks to me. The tom will gobble occasionally when I make a noise or try to get a rise from him, but he doesn't do anything but keep a wary eye on me otherwise. He only cares about eating and strutting, and not necessarily in that order.