Maine

[diana507]

I was just finishing putting plastic on the hoop coop ends when those flakes fell. I still have lots of outdoor chores too, but this week looks warmer. The nipple waterers all froze yesterday at 22 degrees. Now everyone is back to heated dog dishes, even though it is supposed to warm up later in the week. I didn't want to deal with frozen buckets on a work morning, so I'm glad I made the switch. 18 this morning.

I picked up a heated dog dish yesterday for my 12 girls and a thick rubber dish to set it in. How do you like it so far? I have got to get mine in the coop tonight when my husband gets home from work. Waterer has been frozen in the coop the last 2 mornings. Hoping this works out good.

 

[buckabucka]

I love the heated dog dishes. Water stays liquid even at -30. Eventually, they burn out. Now when I get a new bowl I date it on the bottom. I've got two types, and I'm curious to see if one kind lasts longer than another, but they do last more than one winter. I switch back to nipple waterers in the spring, and fortunately, everyone seems to remember how to use them despite the long winter using an open bowl.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

I have too many birds for the dog dish (although my ducks have one that they still manage to cram their fat bodies into that works great down to sickening temperatures) so I have a heated base and a metal waterer. This will be its 6th year and it's still going strong.

 

[lazy gardener]

I've had to knock ice out of my plastic waterer every morning now. It sits outside in the run. I know I've gotta get things winterized... still working on getting potatoes and garlic dug, garden bedded down, still need to skirt the run, and the list goes on and on!!! Planning to split wood this weekend. Had a squirrel trapped in the run today. He got in, couldn't figure out how to get out. I've been finding eggs in odd ball places lately. I think he's the reason why. Tried to invite him to dinner. He was having none of that! So, I'll get a snap trap and a live trap set for him tomorrow. Hawk tried to attack today. I told him he wasn't welcome. last I saw him, he was riding the thermals, headed for more hospitable territory. After working in the garden all day today, I swear that the only part of me that doesn't hurt is my nose!!!

 

[dodochick92]

Hey all, I was wondering if anyone has any ideas for winterizing my coop? I have alot of drafty spots. One is where the nesting box roof is there is a gap that's about an inch wide, another one is around the floor because the floor is a tray that comes out for "easy cleaning" and its made of metal and is rusty, another one is the pop door because it is on the outside and not the inside.if anyone can give me some advice I would be so grateful.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

Some "drafts" are good - you don't want it too tight or the moisture will build up in the coop. You can probably use hay/straw bales around the bottom - although likely to get mice. Be careful using foam or styrofoam filling any gaps - biddies love to eat it. Some people use 6 mil sheeting around the coop.

I keep my 3 windows wide open (unless we're getting to dangerous wind chills or a blizzard) along with my 2 vents and the popdoor during day light hours.

 

[mlowen]

@lazy gardener these are your pullets helping me clean up this year's carrot bed, with my white leghorn. They sure are pretty...and turning out to be steady layers, too.

 

[suzMEchicks]

LG what's the marsh hay good for in the garden?

 

[suzMEchicks]

I have one big nipple waterer and it hasn't frozen so far but I wondered if there was any heating coil that could be put in there for the winter? Does the dog water dish get filled with the pine shavings? It sits on the floor or ground right?

 

[lazy gardener]

Marsh hay would be a good way to mulch the garden without introducing any weed seed to the garden! I'd be very excited about getting some of this, but... am working on converting my garden to Back to Eden style.

ML: What color eggs you getting? Yes, they are pretty girls. I have 8 full grown BSL and 2 juveniles. My pioneer crosses are turning out to be very pretty also. Red with honey highlights, black streaking in the hackles. Brown or olive eggs. My EE x RCBL are giving me blue or cream colored eggs. I'm really having a hard time sorting out who's laying what, but... my egg basket is very pretty. This gene pool is doing exactly what I expected it to do. That the first generation were all sexable based on feather or leg/comb color was a bonus! Don't know if I'll be so lucky with the F2 generation.