Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[suliah]

So now that it's warm my EE's seem to be just fine lol! All of my girls were out enjoying the mud and playing with the ducks for the weekend.

I just threw my babies (10 week old chicks) out into my smaller coop Saturday morning! I needed to have it kinda warm, and they seemed to like it just fine! They had totally outgrown their small brooder in my basement and it was TIME TO GO! There's 8 of them, 2 polish buff (1 at least is a roo I think), 1 appenzeller spitzhauben (no idea on gender) 2 wheaten marans (questioning gender again, will post pics later) 1 blrw pullet and 1 black copper marans pullet. The polish buff roo has been keeping away from the other 7, who are huddled in the corner of the non-heated, non insulated coop, but still everyone seems happy!

Now time to clean the brooder again, I have 15 on order from MPC, coming at the end of March!

Also took the advice from all of you and ordered 2 heated bowls, due to be here next week. Hopefully it won't freeze too hard before then

 

[chickflick]

Man, Wynette!! I would love to go back to Knoxville! My favorite place in the whole wide world!! But, sorry, not going anytime soon.
The cinderblock heaters look cool. Great idea.

Are we going to plan a Chickenstock for 2015???

 

[misfitmorgan]

I've made a coupe of the cinderblock heaters this year (I currently have 4 in use with 2 on standby). They use a 40 watt bulb for heat. I have to say, they're doing a great job. I had them plugged in & running when we had the cold snap last week, and though the water at the end opposite the water opening froze over, they all stayed clear where the water opening was.

The only thing I don't much care for is that, since my waterers are red/plastic on the bottom, it glows in the pen. It's not enough to keep the birds up, but still sort of bothers me. Here's a pic taken with the lights off in the barn:

i keep seeing people talk about the light bulb in the cinder block but no one ever shows pics of how exactly its set up. i mean by the sounds of it you just put a light on the floor, stick a cinder block on top then you waterer and good to go. Except to me it seems like it would be dangerous to just have a light bulb on the floor with bedding down there, or if it got down past the sides of the waterer. Is a 40watt bulb just not hot enough to start a fire? Secondary concern for me is...how do you keep water off the light? i have tons of cinder blocks and light kits are cheap, the way i envision the cinder block thing atm freaks me out a bit though. I was thinking of doing the cookie tin thing but if the cinder block thing is safe it seems easier and faster lol.

My house chicken i am told will be officially back out with his friends before i get home from work. i hope so, its suppose to get cold again.

 

[uchytil]

Are we going to plan a Chickenstock for 2015???

 

[Wynette]

Man, Wynette!! I would love to go back to Knoxville! My favorite place in the whole wide world!! But, sorry, not going anytime soon.
The cinderblock heaters look cool. Great idea.

Are we going to plan a Chickenstock for 2015???

You would be a most awesome traveling companion, lady!

i keep seeing people talk about the light bulb in the cinder block but no one ever shows pics of how exactly its set up. i mean by the sounds of it you just put a light on the floor, stick a cinder block on top then you waterer and good to go. Except to me it seems like it would be dangerous to just have a light bulb on the floor with bedding down there, or if it got down past the sides of the waterer. Is a 40watt bulb just not hot enough to start a fire? Secondary concern for me is...how do you keep water off the light? i have tons of cinder blocks and light kits are cheap, the way i envision the cinder block thing atm freaks me out a bit though. I was thinking of doing the cookie tin thing but if the cinder block thing is safe it seems easier and faster lol.

My house chicken i am told will be officially back out with his friends before i get home from work. i hope so, its suppose to get cold again.

There's a bit more to it, but not much more! You need to cut a hole for the extension cord so the cinderblock isn't pressing on it. My DH used an air tool - I think he called it a cutoff(?) or something with a special disk for cutting through cement, and he made a "V" shaped notch. You set the cinderblock on top of a piece of plywood before putting the light in.

ETA: there's a bunch of YouTube videos on it, if you search "DIY chicken water heater" you'll find many.

 

[flufssilkies]

I also agree with Opa, unfortunately once roosters start fighting they will continue to do so, sometimes until one is killed. If you plan on keeping them both they will need separate housing.

I'm going to keep you them apart now thank you

 

[LBear]

Hello!
I used the cinder block method last year with my regular galvanized waterer, with a thermostatically controlled power block (thermocube), two 40 watt bulbs, (in case one burned out), and some foam sheeting (like what is used in shipping) with a 5 gallon bucket over it to insulate the top. I was able to make a small channel in the cinder block by tapping it out carefully with a hammer - nothing fancy. No light leaked so that was nice. It was still a pain to take apart to fill. The thermocube failed as well. This year I'm using a bucket with those chicken watering nipples on the bottom, with a simple submersible aquarium heater set on the lowest setting. I just plug it in when freezing weather is expected. When shopping for an aquarium heater, be sure to get one that is completely submersible - most are these days- and one that will automatically shut off if it's out of water - otherwise just a few seconds out of the water will cause it to fail. So far so good. Much less mess and inconvenience than last year.
I hope this helps!
Lori

 

[snowflake]

sorry about the need to part with some of your flock, Stacy, hope things improve for you soon,
Opa, congrats on the deer, no luck here for DH, all he sees is the mamma with 2 little ones and he won't shoot her.


Happy Thanksgiving to all and Welcome to the newbies.

been busy getting ready should have about 27 up here this yr. hope the weather is good for driving for every one,

I love my 3 gallon heated waterers, I refill every other day, I also use a cookie tin heater with a 1 gallon plastic, my thermal cube works great...hang on here comes the cold again

 

[aart]

..... I also use a cookie tin heater with a 1 gallon plastic,......

@snowflake What watt bulb do you use? Any chance of a pic or two?

 

[1muttsfan]

Hi Lbear, welcome to BYC and the Michigan thread