Maine

[Widget]

When I was younger I loved snow. Now as an adult not so much. Still enjoy a white Christmas but just want enough snow to cover the ground. After that none. At least as a kid there was a chance that school would be cancelled. Now no matter how much snow we get I still have to make it into work if I want to get paid. Plus drive on roads that are slick with other drivers who may or may not be careful.

Anyone else enjoy MeTV? I love all the old shows on that channel. I've been following Emergency since they put in on in September. Loved that show as a kid. Last night I was half paying attention since I was making a pot of homemade spaghetti sauce. I glanced up at the screen and thought "That looks like Mark Harmon." A minute later they showed the opening credits and amazingly I had been right. It was Mark. He was playing and animal control officer. The whole show followed his partner and him. I am guessing it was supposed to end up as an Emergency spin-off. Best part was a baby goat they rescued from a wildfire. They ended up taking it to Rampart for treatment. The goat looked just like my Nigerian Dwarf. Sounded like her too. As for Mark he was a very young 24 years old back in 1975 when that episode aired. He definitely has aged well.

 

[annabananaandfamily]

Hello, I'm in Raymond, ME and I'm new to chickens. It has been an adventure so far. We got the chicks at BlueSeal in Windham, and raised them on the porch for the first couple months. We have hunting hounds and we keep them in a shed with three runs off one side. The inside of the shed is insulated with foam insulation. I took the other side of the shed and made a 3' by 8' coup with a door for the chickens to come and go as they pleased and a pulley system so I can lock them in if I want. I originally went with 5 gallon buckets on there side for the nests with shavings in them, the chickens seemed to like the coup, but were not touching the nests, I didn't think much of it until October when they were supposed to start laying, finally towards the end of October we discovered one chicken laying outside in a corner by the house. Only that one was laying though, then a couple weeks later we discovered another two were laying in a wood pile next to the kennel. I was extremely frustrated that they were not laying in the coup. So I removed the 5 gallon buckets thinking that was the issue. That did not help. so it was suggested that I try straw instead of shavings....ok, but my nests were up off the ground and the chickens had been laying right on the ground outside. So out of frustration I put a bunch of straw under the nesting boxes....go figure, I am now getting all five chickens to lay eggs in the same spot in the coup. YEE HAA!!! Now I'm starting to get concerned about the cold, my chickens are free ranging and we recently cleaned up 90% of the leaves in our yard, they have now started wandering over to the neighbors yard where he has plenty of leaves, not sure if it's the leaves or they are looking for different types of or more food. We are feeding them pellet chicken feed in the coop too. My main concern is the snow though, does the now not freeze there feet? Do they dig through the snow to get the stuff on the ground? Should I get a different type of feed and feed them more in the winter? Heat Lamp or No Heat Lamp? That is the question, have herd many different opinions on this, but not sure where those people are from, being in Maine and how cold it can get (excluding last winter which was extremely warm in comparison) I would think they would need something to keep them warm, but then the hounds get a good bail of straw and just cruel up and are cozy warm. They have there individual boxes though, and the coop is just plastic chicken wire inside on two sides and open to the shed.
Sorry for the long winded question...

Welcome! I am in Raymond too and have had more issues with predators than cold. I would bet you dont have as much an issue with predators with hunting dogs! I chose not to supplement heat for my birds out of concern that they would not be able to handle it if we had a power outage and they suddenly lost their heat source. I prefer to have them acclimate naturally. Chickens seem to be heartier than we think

 

[buckabucka]

I like snow. I just don't like the cold. It is nice to head out the back door and into the woods on snowshoes.

Most of our snow gets cleared away by DH with his tractor, but I do enjoy walking along narrow shoveled paths of snow with tall sides. I'm not sure why I think that is so fun. Back in our outhouse days, we had narrow paths shoveled everywhere, even down the driveway. We always just left our cars at the end of the driveway and shoveled everything "by hand", but we were young then.

About mid- February, I will be tired of snow and it will be a long wait for spring. I do find the initial transition from no-snow to snow difficult. No more running out to the coop or the compost in my crocs!

 

[Mainechick168]

I like snow. I just don't like the cold. It is nice to head out the back door and into the woods on snowshoes.
Most of our snow gets cleared away by DH with his tractor, but I do enjoy walking along narrow shoveled paths of snow with tall sides. I'm not sure why I think that is so fun. Back in our outhouse days, we had narrow paths shoveled everywhere, even down the driveway. We always just left our cars at the end of the driveway and shoveled everything "by hand", but we were young then.
About mid- February, I will be tired of snow and it will be a long wait for spring. I do find the initial transition from no-snow to snow difficult. No more running out to the coop or the compost in my crocs!

Bucka, I am glad I'm not the only one! I like the snow. There is some bog/wet area in the woods behind our house, but when it freezes and gets covered in snow it is great walking. There is something amazing about going out back first thing and breaking a trail to the top of the ridge. I hear you too on the transition- the gray times- fall before snow, and spring before it's green....thats the hard time!



m
My trail- 2 winters ago.

 

[buckabucka]

I like snow. I just don't like the cold. It is nice to head out the back door and into the woods on snowshoes.

Most of our snow gets cleared away by DH with his tractor, but I do enjoy walking along narrow shoveled paths of snow with tall sides. I'm not sure why I think that is so fun. Back in our outhouse days, we had narrow paths shoveled everywhere, even down the driveway. We always just left our cars at the end of the driveway and shoveled everything "by hand", but we were young then.

About mid- February, I will be tired of snow and it will be a long wait for spring. I do find the initial transition from no-snow to snow difficult. No more running out to the coop or the compost in my crocs!

Bucka, I am glad I'm not the only one! I like the snow. There is some bog/wet area in the woods behind our house, but when it freezes and gets covered in snow it is great walking. There is something amazing about going out back first thing and breaking a trail to the top of the ridge. I hear you too on the transition- the gray times- fall before snow, and spring before it's green....thats the hard time!



    m
My trail- 2 winters ago.

Beautiful photos, Mainechick! I have similar photos of our snowshoe trails. Maybe I can dig some up the next time I'm on the real computer.

 

[hoppy]

http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/
todays' recipe was german chocolate cake for one. of course it can be doubled or adjusted as needed.
I made apple crisp in the crock pot and finally got started with some stained glass, so far, so good.

Hoppy, where are all those recipes for chocolate this and that? Today was like a prison. Chocolate is the key to bliss.

 

[joanie_maine]

Yep, it snowed

My bantam cochins, LF cochins and d'Uccles are still laying. I'm running an incubator for the eggs that I can gather while they are still warm.

I'm carrying gallon jugs of water to the barn every day.....not FUN!

The "chick room" is overflowing with started birds and new chicks - next years show or swap prospects.

And new additions are more red bantam cochins from Indiana and a trio of white bantam cochins to be shipped here next week - my birthday present to me.

Can't wait for SPRING!!!!

 

[Widget]

Try having to water two goats, the birds and three horses lugging buckets 2x a day. The birds and goats I just swap out their pails. For the horses I have two larger buckets. One 30 gallon and one 5 gallon. I fill them up in the morning after chopping whatever ice had formed. Add fresh water to fill them up (anywhere from 2-10 gallons). Repeat in the afternoon. I fill up the pails before I go to bed so the front hall is an obstacle course of water buckets. All this to avoid using a heater that adds $100-$150 a month to the electric bill. While the heater would be nice the expense isn't. Plus it is a good workout.

 

[ashandvine]

My tendons wouldn't take all that lugging without loud complaints the next day or even that afternoon. The cold makes things worse physically for me. I used to spend whole days out there in the white-insulated woods and loved it-- still do. Maybe its 'the transition' and knowing what kind of suffering comes ahead. If it were beautiful, hushed and clean smelling without the pain I would love it again. Now I bundle up like a blanket monster to go out. I've had frostbite a few times and with Renaud's cold just isn't fun, though I do admire the new landscape and I actually enjoy the act of shoveling-- that cold air coming in and out, hollowing my chest and filling me with heated vigor-- of course the tendons don't enjoy that either but it has to be done. I am hoping just a little for a snowblower or reasonable plow service. Watching the children and dog in it is sweet. I didn't meant to be a snow-pooper.

Happy birthday Joanie!!!

Going to a chicken vet asap. My awesome new Marans is still exhibiting signs of pneumonia (for lack of another term or real diagnosis.) I am invested enough in breeding him to want to be sure I don't lose him so here we go IF I can find a vet willing. I pray I do.

 

[ChickMagnet207]

Widget, How about heated water buckets? Maybe a little extra on your power bill but they are usually no more then 120-130 watts each. Some are around 60 watts each. They work good for me....