Maine

[buckabucka]

Don't worry. I am expecting at least -10 here, and -8 in the hoop coop. (Of course, I'm worried, but you shouldn't be )

 

[lazy gardener]

5.7 at 10:30 PM tonight. I think it's time to resurrect the flower pot heater for my friend's birds in my old coop. Will get it out tomorrow.

 

[suzMEchicks]

Tell us about the flower put heater again.

 

[suzMEchicks]

The flower pot heater . I looked it up online but is it safe in a coop? It would have to be somewhere where there isn't shavings and such.

 

[lazy gardener]

You have to make your own decisions regarding what you consider to be safe or not safe in your coop. I used a large clay flower pot. Hubby wired a light bulb on a ceramic base which I then mounted inside the flower pot which was placed upside down. It sat on a large ceramic tile, which also held the ceramic base. I put a metal lid over the hole in the bottom of the pot which was now the top of the heater. This was set up off the coop floor on a base made of 2 x 4's which had screws placed to hold the flower pot in place. Then, I used bricks around the whole thing to secure it so it wouldn't move, and to keep the shavings away from it. I think I settled on a 75W bulb to provide enough heat so it would be warm (comfortable to rest my hand on) but not too warm. It really didn't kick out a lot of heat, and I never saw the chickens cuddling around it, but in the 4 x 8 space it occupied with the 5 girls, I'm sure it took the edge off the below zero temps last winter.

 

[CoopChick719]

Don't worry. I am expecting at least -10 here, and -8 in the hoop coop. (Of course, I'm worried, but you shouldn't be

)

Thanks bucka! You're a big help!

Turned on the lamp tonight mostly so the water won't freeze. Haven't rebuilt my base for the heater yet. I think DH stole my cement blocks & pavers I used last year. Ok maybe they were his to begin with

Was at TSC tonight getting a new bag of feed. I tried something new and the girls are having none of it. They just do NOT like layer feed! Back to fermenting flockraiser. Also bought myself a new coop coat, the C. E. Schmidt brand. Ooh I so wanted a pretty plum or pink one but then I wouldn't have wanted to get it dirty so I got brown.

Good luck to all with the storm tomorrow. Be safe!

 

[TAMMACLEAN]

Thanks bucka! You're a big help!  

Turned on the lamp tonight mostly so the water won't freeze. Haven't rebuilt my base for the heater yet. I think DH stole my cement blocks & pavers I used last year. Ok maybe they were his to begin with

Was at TSC tonight getting a new bag of feed. I tried something new and the girls are having none of it. They just do NOT like layer feed! Back to fermenting flockraiser. Also bought myself a new coop coat, the C. E. Schmidt brand. Ooh I so wanted a pretty plum or pink one but then I wouldn't have wanted to get it dirty so I got brown.

Good luck to all with the storm tomorrow. Be safe!

I also need to re-do my water warmers. For those who use buckets or containers with chicken water nipples on them, I would suggest fish tank heaters.

I have one of the C. E. Schmidt jackets and I love mine, I have the purple one. Figure that's what the washer is for, and purple is my favorite color.

 

[IZZYBELLA]

I have a golden wyandote who took to perching on the metal waterer, because she has figured out that it is toasty on her toes! I moved her to the roost for several nights in a row, since obviously the result was poop in the water in the morning. She seems to be learning, because I haven't found her there in a couple of nights. I may need to fashion something for the top to make it not an appealing perch, though.

The last of my older hens has finally started her molt. The poor thing! I wish they didn't have to wait until now! She looks so ragged and the coop floor is an explosion of black and white feathers.

CoopChick - mine won't eat layer feed either! They lose weight whenever I try. I've started just lying about what my flock consists of to the folks at the feed stores, because they always insist I need layer. As if I don't know what my girls do best on!

Hmm... I need to check out these C. E. Schmidt jackets... wearing my "good" winter jacket into the coop is getting to be a problem, as I worry now when I'm out and about in it that I may smell of shavings and not even know it!

Hope everyone is doing well so far with the storm... lots of slushy/icy rain here and the roads are a MESS.

 

[dowgirl71]

Thats a great idea for the heat bulb I'm going to play with the timer on my light. So far I have had it on dusk to dawn because that's the only setting I have figured out that will turn on when I'm not home at the needed time: dusk. I think consistency is the most important thing with the amount of light. But you are all probably right about all night being to much . On a happier note, today I got 2 white eggs for the first time in maybe 2 months. That of course means both the leghorns are laying again.And I think it's funny that they did it together. They do everything together like they are twin chickens. They stopped laying the same time and molted the same time and resumed the same day.interesting.

That's funny about your Leghorns! I have 2 EEs not laying, right now. My hen stopped first because she's molting but the other one is a pullet and it's like she isn't going to lay just because her "big sister" isn't. Silly kids!

 

[dowgirl71]

I have a golden wyandote who took to perching on the metal waterer, because she has figured out that it is toasty on her toes! I moved her to the roost for several nights in a row, since obviously the result was poop in the water in the morning. She seems to be learning, because I haven't found her there in a couple of nights. I may need to fashion something for the top to make it not an appealing perch, though.

The last of my older hens has finally started her molt. The poor thing! I wish they didn't have to wait until now! She looks so ragged and the coop floor is an explosion of black and white feathers.

CoopChick - mine won't eat layer feed either! They lose weight whenever I try. I've started just lying about what my flock consists of to the folks at the feed stores, because they always insist I need layer. As if I don't know what my girls do best on!

Hmm... I need to check out these C. E. Schmidt jackets... wearing my "good" winter jacket into the coop is getting to be a problem, as I worry now when I'm out and about in it that I may smell of shavings and not even know it! 

Hope everyone is doing well so far with the storm... lots of slushy/icy rain here and the roads are a MESS.

Izzy, that sounds like my coop with the black feathers all over! Now, my BA is molting. I thought she might be next because she's a little younger than my EE. poor girls! Such a bad time of year for this!