INDIANA BYC'ers HERE!

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

OEGB do ok as long as they are draft free. I had them a few years and they were pretty cold hardy. I don't think the rooster ever had frostbite issues with his comb either.

Thank you, that's good to know. Last winter with them, I only had my first pair of OEGBs and they ended up coming in because they weren't doing so well in milder cold than this. I think that was a combination of them being in mid-molt and that their previous owner had them under heat. They've been fine so far in the recent cold, but tonight is really pushing it with that negative low... The same two birds as last winter had dusky combs when I checked on them a little bit ago, and I'm a weakling so they're in a hutch indoors for now. Debating whether I want to leave the pullets out or bring them in, too, just so I can sleep tonight. They and the cockerels seem totally fine, but I'm a bit overprotective of those precious little ladies. Other than the two hens in severe molts and the older OEGBs, everyone else seems fine, though.

Well, we have new additions tonight! Very excited to have them! Baby heifer is in our dog run for the night, and will be wormed and shots tomorrow. I bought her and her Mother from our cow neighbor Jack. Mom will come later this week. She is 2 months old, Mom is 3 years old. Although I know our neighbor very well, I still quarantine. I will introduce her Mom to our bull in 2 months. I have to move my Nubian to another pasture to open the pasture they are moving into. Cow/calf pair will move to the hard fence pasture with hot wire to train the calf to it. Have to pick names!

Here is the mom, I took a picture of her last summer. She was on his dry lot which is a mud pit when it rains. He is switching over to Angus only so he is selling off any other breeds he has.

Goodness, I thought you were going to say one of your cows calved in this cold! Congrats on the newcomers, and smart move to quarantine anyway! It's just good practice.

 

[pginsber]

Yep, we're set to be below 0 air temp tonight, so I have a couple naked hens in the basement. They decided October was a good time to lose 90% of their feathers...

One or our Naked Necks lost so many feathers that the only ones she had were around her neck and ankles. She looked like she was wearing a scarf and anklet socks!
A few days later she looked like a pincushion (or that Hellraiser Pinhead character for anyone who watches horror movies).
Her feathers had just popped out of the pincushion stage before it got to zero degree windchill. Poor thing!

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Brr, poor thing! At least she's covered now! My little Mottled Cochin bantam, Bryony, is still in pincushion form, unfortunately. Not sure she would have handled this kind of cold in that shape, despite that we didn't get as cold as they predicted.

Pretty bad when you're relieved by 9° F as the actual low.



My OEGBs were shivering and swaying this morning, so I lost my nerve and brought them in to the warmth, too. Scooter, my old Sebright hen, too. Poor thing, she's not doing so well. Near as I can tell, unrelated to the cold but exacerbated by it. This cold this early is just crazy. At least the rest of the birds are handling it well and going about their usual business today.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Thank you, that's good to know. Last winter with them, I only had my first pair of OEGBs and they ended up coming in because they weren't doing so well in milder cold than this. I think that was a combination of them being in mid-molt and that their previous owner had them under heat. They've been fine so far in the recent cold, but tonight is really pushing it with that negative low... The same two birds as last winter had dusky combs when I checked on them a little bit ago, and I'm a weakling so they're in a hutch indoors for now. Debating whether I want to leave the pullets out or bring them in, too, just so I can sleep tonight. They and the cockerels seem totally fine, but I'm a bit overprotective of those precious little ladies. Other than the two hens in severe molts and the older OEGBs, everyone else seems fine, though.







Goodness, I thought you were going to say one of your cows calved in this cold! Congrats on the newcomers, and smart move to quarantine anyway! It's just good practice.

I don't blame you, Especially elderly birds. My modern games we not cold tolerant at all, and only got to go outdoors in summer.
I do have 3 cows due to calf anytime! This cold always scares me with newborns coming on.

 

[pginsber]

I don't blame you, Especially elderly birds. My modern games we not cold tolerant at all, and only got to go outdoors in summer.
I do have 3 cows due to calf anytime! This cold always scares me with newborns coming on.

On ‘Doc Pol’ on cable tv the cows seem to always be birthing in winter!

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

I do have 3 cows due to calf anytime! This cold always scares me with newborns coming on.

Oooh, fingers crossed everything goes well if they end up calving in this cold!!





@Faraday40 Guess what? My Silkie mix pullet decided this, the coldest day of her entire life so far, was the perfect day to try going broody for the first time! Crazy hens!! This is her puffed up and parked where I moved her from the nests.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

So Mom Hereford didn't come tonight and that's OK. We did a bucket of warm milk so our new calf had a full tummy. My cow neighbor also works full time as a truck driver. It's sad farmers have to also keep a full time job to make ends meet. It also encourages me to do more. DH probably works 60 hours a week. Jack is much older than us late 60s and he is sure a mentor and he never stops. I bet that man maybe gets 6 hours sleep a day.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

So far our new calf is afraid of ducks and chickens! The Bresse were out and the Muscovy today. When they came by the fence she bolted SCARY things LOL! We've chosen the name Molly after a very good friend.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Oooh, fingers crossed everything goes well if they end up calving in this cold!!





@Faraday40 Guess what? My Silkie mix pullet decided this, the coldest day of her entire life so far, was the perfect day to try going broody for the first time! Crazy hens!! This is her puffed up and parked where I moved her from the nests.

View attachment 1958508

She's a gorgeous hen Pipd! I got a broody Bresse doubt that's going to last long.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Well my eggs were frozen this morning and several cracked. I went to collect eggs and realized I'd left my eggs and basket on the porch, DUH . I do a lot more cooking and baking once the cold freezing temps hit. I've started doing breakfast casseroles and other meals, freezing for busy times. So, since I used all my eggs yesterday I missed my 2 eggs and toast for breakfast! Nobody had laid an egg yet. So yogurt is what was for breakfast.