Maine

[lazy gardener]

Even my cats are in a foul mood. they've been chasing each other around and doing a lot of hissing. They always play so well together, I've never seen them actually get p-----! I threw them out to cool their jets... they lasted 5 minutes before they were begging to come back in, obviously promising to behave for the rest of the day.

 

[Windy Bay Farm]

Ugh! That is so cold! I'm glad to know the chickens survived. My rooster has some really nasty frostbite. I wonder if he will have any comb left at all!

Hi BB... Do you have any pics of your roosters frostbitten comb ? Mine seems to have suffered some as well... It was hovering around 1F here last night with a windchill of -25F. I'm in Nova Scotia so as the crow flies Maine is less than 100 miles... We get just about every storm system that you all get. Living so close to the ocean tends to moderate our winters however, this winter so far has been absolutely brutal and not normal for us. I hate it !!

We have gotten a lot of snow so far! Think we had a storm every weekend for the past few weeks. I don't mind the snow, at least it helps insulate. Although it seems all I do lately is shovel!

I hear ya about the shovelling, NC ! That's all I've been doing here as well. I see you live in Caribou.. Just a short skip over to NB, do you ever get over there ?

 

[Mainechick168]

Lots of posts to catch up on!

It warmed up to 6 degrees above today- but that is not counting windchill. I started my student teaching yesterday, but we had a half day because of snow, and now school today. I celebrated this bonus day by making cake

My rooster has some frostbite- a little on the tip of his comb, and on the bottom edge of wattles- poor guy- he dunks them in the water everytime he drinks, so although we put some bagbalm on him, I think it's just going to happen.

 

[buckabucka]

I don't have any photos of my rooster's comb, windy bay. Perhaps this weekend I'll get a chance to take some. I'm bracing myself for tonight's brutally low temperatures. I'm so glad we'll be getting a little break from this shortly, but freezing rain on Monday could lead to a whole other series of power outages. What a crazy winter!

 

[ashandvine]

Thankfully the barn stays at least 20* warmer than the out doors here. It doesn't mean that when its this cold that the waters don't freeze because they certainly do. Which you find out after shoveling your way out there but before you can begin your chores you need to warm up again over a fire that is now dying down since you started it before shoveling. Did I mention that my back hurts again? Can't figure out what I am doing to hurt it.

On a less sarcastic note I do have a Java pullet who determinedly lays about every other day right now. I am so grateful for that one egg. It seems ridiculous to buy eggs for my holiday baking.

 

[suzMEchicks]

I just went out to check the girls. Is it my imagination or are they more hungry on the colder days? They have a feeder with organic crumble and water all day plus I gave them a spaghetti squash and lots of treats this morning. They just looked crazed when i went out with a few more things. Like no one ever feeds them!!! We had a frozen pipe in the upstairs bathroom today so I'm really worried about tonight. Good luck and keep warm everybody.

 

[lazy gardener]

I honestly don't know how they're surviving out there. I don't remember a winter like this in over 40 years.

 

[suzMEchicks]

Me either! Today when I crossed the street to see my neighbor, i had a flash back to the old days when we had so much snow and we were little kids and the snow banks were sooo high. And its only January. But I like what you say- every day is one day closer.

 

[Mainechick168]

I just went out to check the girls. Is it my imagination or are they more hungry on the colder days? They have a feeder with organic crumble and water all day plus I gave them a spaghetti squash and lots of treats this morning. They just looked crazed when i went out with a few more things. Like no one ever feeds them!!! We had a frozen pipe in the upstairs bathroom today so I'm really worried about tonight. Good luck and keep warm everybody.

I don't think it is your imagination! Mine seem to be eating a good amount more lately. Maybe it's partially because they are locked in the coop and don't have anything better to do....!

 

[buckabucka]

One good thing about this weather:
Those of us who are getting older find that time moves faster and faster. Waiting for this weather to pass takes forever. It's like having a whole new decade added to your life!
Well, ok, I just made that up. Time is still racing, but spring does feel like a looonnng ways off right now.