Maine

[Widget]

Right now I have two dogs on the couch with me. One is the elderly Potcake who is snuggled under a blanket fresh from the dryer. The other is the Pit who is snuggled against me and under another blanket from the dryer. The two Pyrs are on the floor snoozing comfortably. They are loving the cooler house. All I am waiting for is at least one of the cats to join the couch potatoes. Not that I mind. This time of year they make great semi-portable body warmers.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

Right now I have two dogs on the couch with me. One is the elderly Potcake who is snuggled under a blanket fresh from the dryer. The other is the Pit who is snuggled against me and under another blanket from the dryer. The two Pyrs are on the floor snoozing comfortably. They are loving the cooler house. All I am waiting for is at least one of the cats to join the couch potatoes. Not that I mind. This time of year they make great semi-portable body warmers.

I can always tell when the weather changes. Sophie Anna Phatpants, my kitty, is a total cling-on in winter. I love it. She's friendly in summer, too, but certainly not to the extent she is in the winter. She gets right under the blankets in bed with me and we enjoy the heat from the heated mattress pad while we snuggle.

 

[lazy gardener]

Re: 4 x 8 with 3 x 7 sun space, how many chickens, how long have you been raising chickens, and what problems have you had with predators. I'm planning a 4 x 8 2 story tractor with attachment to winter hoop style green house for 6 birds. starting next spring.

 

[ScienceTchr]

We are mostly ready for snow, but I don't think this storm is going to produce much (but don't tell my students that they were all hopeful today at school that we would have a snow day tomorrow). My heated dog bowl hasn't arrived yet but I am hoping it will come tomorrow. I only had to chip ice away so the birds could drink today, but I know the bowl will work better. Do you all leave yours outside or inside the coop/

 

[superchemicalgirl]

We are mostly ready for snow, but I don't think this storm is going to produce much (but don't tell my students that they were all hopeful today at school that we would have a snow day tomorrow). My heated dog bowl hasn't arrived yet but I am hoping it will come tomorrow. I only had to chip ice away so the birds could drink today, but I know the bowl will work better. Do you all leave yours outside or inside the coop/

The directions on my heated base says it needs to be used inside. I put it up on a cinderblock in the coop and run power (extension cord) above ground to it. Not sure if you have power in your coop, but we put a wooden extender on one of the fence posts, strung the cord through that, to the window, where there's a hook, into the window, and then around the coop on hooks again until it reaches the heated base. Then the chickens don't peck at it. Sometimes I get really stupid young birds that I just set out attempt to roost on them, and pull them down, but it's rare.




Lazy Gardener: welcome to BYC. Would need more detail on your coop before commenting. Problems with predators around here: for me, mostly airborne. Hawks, eagles, etc. Have had a dog attack (luckily they were penned in), something (probably a fox) got a duck of mine (they free range except at night), have had skunk problems in the winter when there's nothing to eat for them. Been raising chickens 2.5 years. Ducks a little over a year, ish. Can't recall, think I got them last summer. Turkeys only a 6 months.

 

[buckabucka]

Our heated dog bowls are also inside. One coop has power, the other, DH just ran an underground wire to an outdoor outlet, and we use an outdoor extension cord from there. We were able to slip the wire under the hoop coop and Velcro it to the chicken wire wall that runs down the center, so that both bowls can reach the plug. I haven't set up the bowl in the other coop, and have been breaking ice there everyday, so it is time.
I also provide outdoor water in the run (hoop coop has no run) once a day in hopes they will go outside. That water freezes in it's rubber bowl, and each day, I knock it out and replace it.

 

[hoppy]

my heated dog bowl is kept outside, works great. there can be snow all around it, but it's open and clear when the birds come out.

lazy gardiner- weasels can also be a problem, I've been hit 2 yrs in a row, and they kill for the fun of it, lost 15 birds the first time, lost 2 the 2nd time. I learned. I also have hawks and owls and my own dog on occasion.

We are mostly ready for snow, but I don't think this storm is going to produce much (but don't tell my students that they were all hopeful today at school that we would have a snow day tomorrow). My heated dog bowl hasn't arrived yet but I am hoping it will come tomorrow. I only had to chip ice away so the birds could drink today, but I know the bowl will work better. Do you all leave yours outside or inside the coop/

 

[ashandvine]

What is the draw on the heated bowls? I was planning on making myself a cookie tin heater with either a 25 or less wattage.


NN just are not for me. They look like they are walking around with male genitalia under their heads instead of necks.

It can't be good for me to laugh at them all the time. Ducks don't mind but chickens are more egotistical and fragile

Showgirls are a little cute but they remind me of a puffs kleenex with a used q-tip on top. My daughter on the other hand, she would loooove it and pet it and name it and .... no no no. We already have a chicken named Fido that comes when my son calls it. That is the epitome of bad farming right there. Next my daughter will come home with a show girl and put a litter box in her room so she can keep in it there and put bows in its poof and little home made necklaces on its neck and feet before serving it tea with her miniature tea set ... and I will be standing there wondering what the heck happened to hardening my family and teaching them about where their food comes from.

It is a chicken. Right?? FTR I don't eat quail or pigeon either. Or squirrel. But if I did then I would start with the woodchuck/ground hog outback. Bigger and convenient. (and no, you can't bring up my late Breda as a trump to my argument. I am a hard a...nkle, darn it!)
I hope you all know I am both teasing and serious. Call it chicken comedy. Or ignore it.

Moving on I would like to breed my FCBM and Orloffs this spring. I do also have Dorkings to try out and Favorelles. These are it. I don't put a number limit I put a breed limit on my work so I am not kicking myself too much. The more of a group I see in my yard the happier I am. Lots of Spangled Orloffs together are beautiful. This brings me to another question: what do you all have for incubators, why and what do you like about them?

 

[hoppy]

I have 4 incubators, is that bad?

but I swear I only use 2 at a time max. of course one holds 350 eggs......

love the q-tip analogy, I think that about sums them up!

Showgirls are a little cute but they remind me of a puffs kleenex with a used q-tip on top.
This brings me to another question: what do you all have for incubators, why and what do you like about them?

 

[superchemicalgirl]

Showgirls are a little cute but they remind me of a puffs kleenex with a used q-tip on top. My daughter on the other hand, she would loooove it and pet it and name it and .... no no no. We already have a chicken named Fido that comes when my son calls it. That is the epitome of bad farming right there. Next my daughter will come home with a show girl and put a litter box in her room so she can keep in it there and put bows in its poof and little home made necklaces on its neck and feet before serving it tea with her miniature tea set ...

You do know that I know where you live... AND love a good challenge... AND enabling of chickens, ESPECIALLY naked neck ones.

Operation showgirl has now officially begun.