Maine

[lazy gardener]

I do hope you're all staying safe and warm tonight and tomorrow. Got your shovels handy???

 

[Widget]

I do hope you're all staying safe and warm tonight and tomorrow. Got your shovels handy???

Shovel ready. Snow blower filled with gas. Work is not officially closed tomorrow but we do not have to go in. No pay unless we use a vacation day. Or, in my case, work Friday which is my normal day off. Just hoping we do not lose power since that would mean no heat.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

I've got 21 less than a week old chicks. I hope we don't lose power.

 

[Branch Chickens]

I was planning to save my shoveling for tomorrow, but I just went out to do the chicken chores (they're in our barn), and we have some pretty big piles inside that have drifted in through cracks under the doors.

I also heard the sounds of a stray taking shelter in our barn. Put some food out for her. With the drifting up around the barn, I'm pretty sure she's stuck in there until the storm is over.
The snow hasn't amounted to much yet, but the wind is pretty intense. Can't see the house across the street!

 

[longgrove]

After fixing a flat tire, the snow blower, thankfully, is up and going. Replaced all the coop bedding (sand under shavings) yesterday, anticipating 3 days of confinement for the flock.

Hoping that with the dry fluffy stuff and all the wind, the roofs will not have too much accumulation. Keeping my fingers crossed re power; had my fill in November with a 4 day outage!

Seems awfully cold for a blizzard, usually, it seems to be warmer when it snows. (Hobs choice, sunny and bitter cold or warmer and snow/ice/slush, usually. lol).

 

[lazy gardener]

SCG: I do hope you don't loose power. Harder with chicks than it is with eggs. What kind of chicks do you have? Home hatch/Where from?

BC: Glad you are able to provide shelter for the stray. Any worries about that cat bothering your flock? Kind of a waste of time to shovel right now, the way it's blowing. It's coming down at a fast rate here, and swirling around like a tornado.

I've noticed that since I've stepped up the feed and sprout program with my flock that their eggs are bigger. Got 9/15 yesterday. Even the Dom, and RCBL eggs are bigger. Can't wait to get some of those eggs in the bator. I'm thinking that I'll divide the brown egg layers into 2 groups when I start gathering hatching eggs. That way, I can label the eggs that will produce BSL chicks.

 

[IZZYBELLA]

I had to do a snow burial this morning just out in my back wooded acres. I totally underestimated the severity of the wind and cold! I was so winded and am still coughing. (The dead bird was a barred rock who has for the past few months been in and out of the sick bay... not eating/drinking/pooping. I think it was a crop issue, because I was always able to hand feed her/massage the crop and in a few days she'd be up and about again. Not this time. :-/ Probably for the best if she was prone to an issue.)

Really hope none of us lose power, particularly you, SCG!

My flock appears fine, although really unhappy that I wasn't opening their pop door. The pop door is completely blocked by a snow drift... that'll be fun shoveling. We had planned to "shovel with the storm" but the wind is so bad that it's pointless!

My dog STILL hasn't gone outside... has the bladder of a camel when it's bad out!

Good luck, everyone!

 

[Widget]

So far so good as far as power goes. Shoveled a path for the dogs an hour ago. I am sure it is already filled back in. My car and truck are pretty much snow free and the shelter roofs are also fairly snow free. I dread having to go out and use the snow blower. The wind is going to make it a real challenge. But I have to at least clear the drive way enough so I can get out with my truck tomorrow. With another few inches due on Friday I doubt I will finish with clean up until Sunday afternoon.

Went in with two others on a chick shipment from Cackle. I ordered some Dominiques. Seven pullets and two roos. Salmon Faverolles are not available yet though. The order was supposed to be shipped at the end of February. But they are now scheduled for next week. Lovely since the temperatures are predicted to be brutal. I would love to place another order for May with Ideal, when the Favs are supposed to be available, but I need someone who will be home to pick up the shipment since there is no way I can leave work to get to my post office. There is a chance I can have them sent to a friend who lives in Westbrook. I work there so I can easily get to the post office but that would mean leaving the little ones in the car for several hours until the end of my shift. Although in May that would not be as much of an issue as it would be in February. Not that I want to do that. Just trying to come up with ideas.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

SCG: I do hope you don't loose power. Harder with chicks than it is with eggs. What kind of chicks do you have? Home hatch/Where from?

All kinds. I went crazy on ebay. Had 2 incubators and 2 hatchers going.

So far so good with power here. It hasn't even flickered.

I am able to work from home today and with the exception of first thing this morning there's been no internet issues, either.

 

[lazy gardener]

Where did the eggs come from, and what was your hatch rate on shipped eggs???