INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

Greetings all.... Just a quick hello before I have to head out.

Really miss the group and look forward to being a daily contributor again... Well that and I have so much pent up online chat that if I do not use it somewhere I may just explode.

to all

I promise to be on sometime this weekend

Victoria

. Good to hear from you!

 

[SallyinIndiana]

I'm processing my extra roos today. This is my first time. Wish me luck!

To save time keep one in the cone draining at all times (as much as possible).
And don't cook right away. Rest in the fridge or even brine in the fridge. Be careful with the brine though too much salt or not enough both produce undesired results.

I'm taking a risk and I ordered shipped eggs again. Shipped eggs rarely do well for me but some of my favorite chickens / ducks are from shipped eggs. They should be my favorites too at the cost.

 

[chisNchickens]

Okay. I have one more question. Are they required to like and/or wear patchouli?

I do I do!!

 

[Mother2Hens]

Looking for a natural and safe sleep remedy... been awake since 6 am, ugh..

I have sleep issues too, and have had a sleep study where they found nothing wrong. In fact, I slept pretty well at the sleep clinic! haha The things that works best for me are relaxation recordings that I load on my iPod and listen to when I go to bed. I can send you some. They're basically someone talking softly and directing you to do deep breathing, etc. I've taken yoga and meditation classes off and on since college, and have enjoyed Buddhist meditation classes in recent years. (It's not a religion, it's a practice, but I'm not disciplined enough to practice Buddhism. It's very interesting, though). I'm off topic again! lol Anyway, I have tried Melatonin, Benedryl, natural cherry juice, and Ambian, but none of those have helped me. I feel for you because it is very frustrating. I have not slept through the night since I was pregnant with my first child and he just turned 27.

 

[bradselig]

Well, my fodder is growing! Lol. I thought I had killed it as it dries out while at work on the second say, but it's doing great! Just started another pan. The first own looked like I used too much seed, so i cut back on the second tray. See how it goes! If anyone is interested in trying, it is very easy to do. I just ordered the seed, purchased the black seed starting trays at big R for $1.50 a tray, poked holes on one side and placed soaked seed in tray. I have it setting on a tote to catch the water that drains out. I just spray it with water several times a day. I've rotated them so the other side is lifted as one side was growing a lot faster than the other.

 

[Mother2Hens]

Good Morning Everyone! So, how are your chickens? Mine look cold although everything I read says that they don't get cold like we do. Its hard to wrap my brain around that when its negative degrees outside. We are busy hauling water out to them multiple times a day, so I am heading to Rural King in Terre Haute today to get a heated waterer for them and the dogs.

I know we have talked a lot about heat lamps in the coop and I have chosen not to because I don't want them to depend on the heat in case of power outages, but I've been wondering about two other options and would love your opinion. One is using a flat panel radiant heater like this when it gets to negative temperatures: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0..._m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1Z6JEEWJJYHDJ3RTP0AA

Note to the moderators: I'm really not trying to sell this, but I don't know how else to explain what I'm asking about. It doesn't look like it would put off a lot of heat, but enough to take some of the chill out of the coop. I use sand only in the coop and shavings in the nesting boxes. All drafts have been blocked with vents only at the roof level. This Cozy Legs flat panel heater is only 37.99 and will mount to the wall and I got the idea from one of the other BYC coops I love.

The other is to use a small electric heater and put it outside under the coop (its 2.5 feet off the ground) and turn the fan on low just to warm the floor and sand in the coop. As the coop is wrapped in plastic sheeting and straw bales on the outside, it seems like it would keep the heat mostly in that area. Again, this is only for the few extreme cold days and assumes we don't lose power.

I wish you all a Happy New Year!

Hi CRSelvey! I DO NOT RECOMMEND A COZY LEGS PANEL HEATER. I bought one a couple of months ago, and I sent it back; it was terrible. It barely emitted heat although it was hot to the touch (and no guard to prevent chickens from getting too close). It also could only be used horizontally, and not vertically (or the other way around--can't remember which). It came with a stand that wasn't sturdy, but there was no way to mount it to a wall using screws. The enclosed hardware was the stand. There wasn't wall mounting hardware included.
My experiences in providing heat for my coop can be read on page 1908, post 19086 and page 1898, post 18980.

Thanks for posting Frostbite info! We can use lots of tips during the bitter cold. I posted some Frostbite info on page 1901, post 19004. The most interesting part of the frostbite info I posted is to NOT massage Vaseline or whatever is used into the wattles and comb. Just lightly coat them.


Ardizzone~ I have never seen swollen wattles! Poor guy! You might want to use some of the aspirin recipe on page 1901, post 19004. Keep us posted.

SallyinIndiana~ Did your roo come home to roost?

icukeisha ~ Good luck on your first processing-- and make it quick and painless!

goodb ~ If you are using a clamp lamp because you can't replace it at this time, here are some tips to make it safer. It's what I did last year. I also wrapped wire back and forth to the outer edges of the reflector cover/crossed metal guard to create a mesh guard in case the bulb burst or dropped. All appliances have the potential for fire; the important thing is to read instructions, warnings, and use safe cords/wattages. Also, keep any flammable substances including spider webs and wood chips/dust away from the area. Check fixture and set-up daily.

Disclaimer: I am not promoting any products nor am I encouraging anyone to use heat in their coops. I am relating my personal experiences and knowledge of the subject. If people choose to use heat, it is their responsibility to thoroughly research the topic, read product specifications, and make their own decisions.

 

[bradselig]

In the reptile community, radiant heat panels have become very popular. They are typically low wattage, supposedly don't get hot to the touch, and known to be one of the safest ways to provide heat to reptiles. I have never purchased one due to their price, but I don't see why they wouldn't work for chickens.

http://www.reptilebasics.com/rbi-radiant-heat-panels?mobile=0

 

[SallyinIndiana]

M2H ~ no rooster yet. I really think he was stolen. There have been no areal predators in sight or tracks of a ground attacker.

 

[racinchickins]

I'm really sorry to hear that. Was it your HRIR roo? Do you have a backup?

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

So we are suppose to get 8-12" onto of the 4-5" we already have. Plus the below zero temps. It is suppose to start snowing Saturday night and continue through Sunday night. Sounds like we are getting a blizzard lol! Hope everyone stays safe and warm.