Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[aart]

my guess...... bird hit it

Inside(chicken) or out(wild bird)?

It's miserable here...wind, cold, and more snow.

 

[RaZ]

I've been outside a couple of times so fat today. The chickens are fine. The heated fount has liquid water but I also take out the regular kind with warm water.

My propane is below 20%. I called last Thursday and requested a fill. Apparently "Lisa" forgot to put me on the list. Talked to her again today and I should get a fill tomorrow. What gripes me is that I prepaid for gas back in August and the fills should be automatic. Good help is hard to find around here.

I might make a run to town for scratch and feed and extra bedding. These birds are eating way too much and not giving anything back. Stinking freeloaders.

Despite the wind and extreme cold the wild birds are flocking to the feeders. The goldfinches have been lined up on the window sill along with nuthatches, titmice, jays and about 7 types of woodpecker. They keep the cats staring out the window all day long.

 

[1muttsfan]

I've been on a propane prebuy program for years. Summer 2017 the company was sold. That fall, even though I prepaid, they neglected to put me on autofill, and one night I came home from work to find no heat. They had to come out at night, in the dark, and fill me, then go through and check every single unit that used propane in my house. They did not charge me extra of course - but I watch the tank much more closely now.

My feeders have been very quite lately, only the woodpeckers and chickadees coming in. I suspected a raptor may have taken up residence. When I went out over the weekend to clean out the snow under the feeders for the ground birds I found a big blotch of blood (probably either a pigeon or a red squirrel). So I guess I'm feeding the big birds now.

Chickens are turning out a steady 1-2 eggs a day, which unfortunately often freeze before I can get them. At least 3 contributors, possibly 4. So not total slackers.

Minus 3 here with snow and a sharp north wind - still very unpleasant. Supposed to get up close to 30 on Sunday, that would be heavenly!

 

[SillyChicken]

So glad I don't have to play the rushin fuelette game anymore! When we were in the old house, Consumers came through with Nat.gas, but they wanted 10k to connect (25')..at that time with the small house, no gas appliances, except the furnace, it didn't cost us much to fill the tank and we only used one tank a year. Several years later when we built on the back property, we only had to pay to bring gas to the house, only about 2K (500') Glad we waited.

Glass was both in and out of the coop. My birds are fine...

 

[Brennigan]

Minus 3 here with snow and a sharp north wind - still very unpleasant. Supposed to get up close to 30 on Sunday, that would be heavenly!

Would this bother chickens since its such a sharp increase in temperature? Everyone always talks about heaters and temperature shock killing chickens, but is this not as bad because its more gradual?

 

[Brennigan]

Glass was both in and out of the coop. My birds are fine...

Glad the birds are fine! Still not a situation you want to deal with in these temps!

 

[1muttsfan]

Good question. Anytime you have extreme weather changes it affects the resistace of all animals, people included. That's why spring and fall are such difficult times of the year when you have animals that are not quite up to normal health, or elderly. It's not unusual for old animals to make it through the winter and succumb in the spring.

I don't think that a day or two temperature switch in the middle of winter is likely to cause too many issues, unless you allow moisture to get out of control in your coop during the warm-up. Humidity can be a much bigger issue than air temperature. When it warms up moisture is released out of the bedding and the snow outside as well, and increased moisture increases the risk of infections. Improving ventilation during warm-ups can help with humidity.

 

[Leahs Mom]

I have the same question in reverse. Going from the 40's to negative temperatures in a short period of time. Not much time for acclimation in the current scenario.

 

[1muttsfan]

The same, a day or two change, when the birds are acclimated to colder temperatures than 40, probably will not create a lot of issues, you just have to watch your humidity and ventilation and adjust it accordingly

 

[aart]

The birds are gonna love that warmer weather!
I am not looking forward to it really....rather at all, wish it would stay at about 25°F.

The snow melt here will be a real issue, unless I can get a lot of snow moved after the wind chills abate late tomorrow. Friday is gonna be a go hard moving snow day for me before it gets heavy with the warm temps.

Even without the projected rainfall, the humidity will skyrocket, inside and outside the coop (with my copious ventilation it's always about the same), you can't make it drier inside the coop that it is outside the coop.

With the foot of snow of the north roof of coop, even with asphalt shingles, tar paper and 1x roof sheathing...this will happen:

Enough to drip on the floor: