INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

[COLOR=900000]For shame! You shouldn't say the s-word!! It should be considered an obscenity! (Oh, okay. I'm just not prepared for winter yet. :/ Well, the coops and birds are all ready, but I'm not! I'm still wearing shorts on a regular basis. )







In other news, something else that made my night so I thought I'd share for others interested in the topic--introductory and color genetics for ducks!! Holy cow, I'm in newbie-genetics heaven here! [/COLOR]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/410593/understanding-basic-colour-genetics-mallards-derivitives

[COLOR=900000]Goes perfectly with the Duck Calculator![/COLOR]

http://kippenjungle.nl/kruisingEend.html

[COLOR=900000]I won't be bored for a few days. [/COLOR]

 

[Leahs Mom]

[COLOR=900000]For shame! You shouldn't say the s-word!!

It should be considered an obscenity! (Oh, okay. I'm just not prepared for winter yet.

Well, the coops and birds are all ready, but I'm not! I'm still wearing shorts on a regular basis.

)[/COLOR]

It IS a 4 letter word.

 

[Indiana feather]

It IS a 4 letter word.

Lol so is cold... guess we should be prepared though. I was at Rural king today looking for a way to keep my birds water fluid in the coming months . I found a heater base for the double wall fount that said it would be good down to 10* which is ok but i was hoping for zero rating.

I wonder if there is another method for keeping the water flowing. I wondered about a heat lamp shining directly on the waterer. How do you folks cope with that issue?

 

[Leahs Mom]

I have 2 experiments running (for heating waterers) for this year but will report after I see how they work.

I've tried 3 others and liked only one but it had it's issues. I'm hoping that one of the 2 ideas I have will be less messing around with water. We shall see.


OH...
And I don't use light in winter so I don't run light on the waterers. Aside from not wanting the light on, it can be a fire hazard so I'm leary of light fixes.

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

I wish someone would invent a water heater that didn't require electricity, because while I could run extensions cords-I don't want to. So I am constantly throwing ice chunks in the shape if my water bowls outside. This is my only problem with winter. I don't care about the snow or cold. I just want my water not to freeze!

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

[COLOR=900000] x2 on the fire hazard--especially when used near water. A hot bulb plus water splashes can lead to the bulb shattering.


I use a heated bucket, myself, set underneath something or covered so there aren't any accidental swims over the wintertime. It heats at the base and keeps the water just above freezing. A thin layer of ice formed on the water during those nasty negative temps we had last winter, but the girls knew to peck right through it to drink. It does require an extension cord or electricity of some sort, which is one of the reasons I empty and unplug it overnight.

I'll have to go back and find it if you want to try it out, but there were also posts last winter about using the element from the same kind of bucket to make a heated base for waterers and fermented feed dishes. My girls use buckets for the rest of the year, so I stuck with just using the bucket for the wintertime.

Edited because my brain doesn't function properly after 10pm.


Edit 2 - Here's that post about using the element for a heated base (credit to Leahs mom for the original post, of course )[/COLOR] https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/730582/indiana-bycers-here/16100#post_12204212

 

[Indiana feather]

I have 2 experiments running (for heating waterers) for this year but will report after I see how they work.

I've tried 3 others and liked only one but it had it's issues. I'm hoping that one of the 2 ideas I have will be less messing around with water. We shall see.


OH...
And I don't use light in winter so I don't run light on the waterers. Aside from not wanting the light on, it can be a fire hazard so I'm leary of light fixes.

I considered trying one of those heated dog bowls .. maybe put a few stones in it?? Good luck with your experimental options. I should probably just get that one i saw rated for 10 degrees

 

[CharlemagneRoost]

I have my incubator just about full (Cemani, Sumatra, barred old english and Jaerjon) and was wondering if I diffuse essential oils in the evening if it could do the eggs any harm? I had read somewhere that you shouldn't burn scented candles when you are incubating, but I didn't vet the article to determine if that information was accurate. Does anyone have any helpful information on this subject?

Thanks in advance

 

[Mother2Hens]

Here's a photo of the species of shrews that we see around here (northern short-tailed shrew) typically 3.5"


This is one reason I get behind on posts. I'm reading about mice and the next thing I know, I'm finding my dead mole photos (doesn't everyone have a dead mold photo file?), and I'm looking up photos of shrews.

Originally Posted by hoosiercheetah

I'm in a bit of a quandary. I'm going to add to the flock in the spring. I want to start the chicks as soon as possible, but I don't want them living in my house any longer than necessary. It seems people will move them to an unheated coop at anywhere from 4 to 8 weeks old, if they're feathered out... but would that still be a fair rule if they're 8 weeks old in February?

hoosiercheetah ~ My best experience with chicks is when Bonbon hatched chicks outside in a separate small coop in May. The temps were perfect and it was great that the chicks got used to natural outdoor sounds including the other hens. It was obviously easier not having chicks in the house, and because of the month, I didn't have to worry about adding heat. If you happen to have a broody in the spring, that's the best scenario-- she raises them outside.

If you can be patient and wait to order chicks, raising them yourself is much more enjoyable when spring temps have arrived. When I got my RIRs in March (2.5 years ago), March was warm. Last spring, it didn't really get warm until May, so you never know . . .

Btw, how's your RIR flock leader Penelope/Penny? She reminds me so much of my dearly departed flock leader Nene. I loved your post about Penny trying to see how close she could get to the lawnmower to catch fleeing grasshoppers!

 

[Mother2Hens]

Hey everyone... just wondered what kind of treats do you give your chickens that would be good for pullets . I gave mine some grass i pulled up along with some Nasturitum leaves and some black oil sunflower seeds. They had fun picking through it but i couldn't tell if they ate any of it..lol

Indiana feather ~ Your ideas are good ones, but just make sure the grass isn't too long because it can cause an impacted crop. I do "yard work" with my flock everyday, and they love when I dig up some dirt where they can find grub worms and other delicacies. Since my chickens are pets, and I don't have a large flock--not a lot of beaks to feed, I give them a variety of treats: sunflower kernels (TSC apparently has tastier ones than RK), safflower seeds, freeze dried mealworms, chopped nuts, cut up grapes and cut up blueberries (whole can be choking hazard), and cut up salad greens (grass size). Yogurt is good for them-- I usually mix some seeds with it since they're not crazy about mushy things that cause them to wipe their beaks too much! They like bananas enough to put up with mushy mouth. haha Two favorites that I don't offer as much are Craisins and shredded mozzarella cheese. Mine never liked scratch grains/cracked corn. I don't give them our leftovers because I figure that the levels of salt or other seasoning is disproportionate for their size. They eat more healthfully than we do!

When it's cold outside, especially when it's miserable cold rainy weather, I make them scrambled eggs (their favorite) or oatmeal with raisins.