Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[aart]

I saw these scratch off lottery tickets when I bought gas. Just had to give it a go. Just for grins.

No wonder you're broke

The label claims it is a duck water bowl and is virtually spill proof.

I'll bet it is spill proof...
...but wonder if those troughs will stay thawed,
and how easy it would/will be to pop the ice out.
Put it out there and let us know.

 

[aart]

Man, was nice to see the sun today!
..and not have any slush under the 5" of snow we got last night.
Lots of wind and a few more inches tonight.

 

[Sally PB]

Man, was nice to see the sun today!

It sure was!

The wind is nasty right now, though. We didn't go any farther than the mailbox for our walk. But, that is a 1/4 mile each way, so enough time for Freya to do her potty stops.

 

[GardeningWithMyChickens]

No wonder you're broke


I'll bet it is spill proof...
...but wonder if those troughs will stay thawed,
and how easy it would/will be to pop the ice out.
Put it out there and let us know.

GardeningWithMyChickens,
This will be our first time raising chickens in Michigan. I was looking at stuff and a question came to me. Is it better to use it the plastic feeders and waterers because of the freezing temperatures here? What is the skinny on this topic? Thanks to all that chime in!
Mary Kay

 

[GardeningWithMyChickens]

It sure was!

The wind is nasty right now, though. We didn't go any farther than the mailbox for our walk. But, that is a 1/4 mile each way, so enough time for Freya to do her potty stops.

Hi,
Nice bright sunny day but not very warm. Walking to the mailbox is too icy, best to stay in. Sun going down now.
I'm beginning to navigate this page I think

 

[Folly's place]

For freezing weather, the heater bases with metal waterers work well, or if you can find it, there's a base that works with plastic waterers. The Farm innovator plastic heater waterer is a royal pain to fill!
Some people use black rubber dishes, and refill them two or three times daily during cold weather, or use a heated dog water dish. Either can work, but birds either walking through one, or dipping big wattles into it, can have severe frostbite.
Electricity, set up right, is so good for winter at the coop!
Mary

 

[saysfaa]

Would keeping them in a bucket of water keep them flexible enough to keep working them?

It would. I don't have a warm enough place to put them, though.

 

[saysfaa]

GardeningWithMyChickens,
This will be our first time raising chickens in Michigan. I was looking at stuff and a question came to me. Is it better to use it the plastic feeders and waterers because of the freezing temperatures here? What is the skinny on this topic? Thanks to all that chime in!
Mary Kay

Plastic can break if it freezes. It doesn't always but it will sometimes.

I like 3-quart, stainless steel, vacuum-sealed ice buckets (like for chilling wine). It takes more than 8-10 hours to freeze across the top. That is long enough since I go out at least morning and night. If I leave it out all night, it will freeze on top, bottom and sides but still have a quart or two of liquid water in the middle.
I bought two black rubber bowls because I liked the idea of stomping the ice out. I tried them a couple of times. I like the shape, stiffness, and handle of the ice buckets much better.

My chickens haven't frozen their wattles. I don't have a rooster, though, so no huge wattles.

 

[aart]

Is it better to use it the plastic feeders and waterers because of the freezing temperatures here?

I wouldn't keep chickens without power in the coop.
For both thawed water and supplemental lighting.
I swear by horizontal nipples, all year around.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aarts-heated-waterer-with-horizontal-nipples.67256/

It would. I don't have a warm enough place to put them, though.

You may be able to soak them just before you weave them, will have to experiment with time soaking.

 

[GardeningWithMyChickens]

For freezing weather, the heater bases with metal waterers work well, or if you can find it, there's a base that works with plastic waterers. The Farm innovator plastic heater waterer is a royal pain to fill!
Some people use black rubber dishes, and refill them two or three times daily during cold weather, or use a heated dog water dish. Either can work, but birds either walking through one, or dipping big wattles into it, can have severe frostbite.
Electricity, set up right, is so good for winter at the coop!
Mary