Michigan

[M.sue]

Quote:
Yes very unwelcome.....I had to scrape my car windows because I didn't put it in the garage last night.....Jack Frost hit every spot on my property!!

 

[chicken grandma]

I have a question for you all.
I am having trouble with my lungs and the poultry dust.
Is there any way to keep chickens over the winter without totally enclosing them?
That is a weird question. For example, I have mine in and 8X10 shed. And I have trouble when I am in there feeding/clening - so I wear a dust mask. They do have a run that I will put plastic on and I will free range when I can. I use pine shavings on the floor.
Any thing else I can do?
Thanks everyone.

 

[Farmer Andy]

Good Afternoon To All, when I started a couple years ago I got one or two of a bunch of breeds just to see what I liked and didn't like. One of them was an ISA. I personally love her to death. I'm not sure as to her IQ, but I think she was one of my first to lay. She is the sweetest and probably the easiest of my girls to handle and pick up, in fact when I take my three year old boys out, I look for her because she always is willing to be picked up and is content to sit in their arms until they let her go. I am one who happens to enjoy a multi colored flock. I went to a green house the other day and they had about 20 of them. It was really cool to see all the different colors from the same breed of bird. I will probably get a few more in the spring to replace some of my aging girls.

edited to remove personal information

 

[Olive Hill]

They don't need to be enclosed in the winter. Ours free range all winter, just like they do in the summer. There's no reason for them to be inside all day. Or even most of the day. With some, you have to motivate them to get out there because the snow is new and weird and they're not the most adventurous, but once they get the hang of it they do great. We put the feed outside so they have to go out to eat, once they learn they can walk through the snow then they venture further than the feeder. One thing you can do is put a couple of straw bales around the yard for them to roost on. Or even just a layer of straw on the ground that you refresh after new snow has fallen. Try to put them in places where there is natural windbreak or where you have created a windbreak for them -- such as under big bushes, beside the house or garage, or just stack up some straw bales and then put one next to the wall you've made. They'll hang out in these areas, going from one to the next and back again. Just like they have favorite hang outs in the summer.

You could try sand, rather than pine shavings for bedding. I'm not sure how much of a difference it'd actually make though.

You might also consider putting a small vacuum with a good filter right out in the coop and you could vacuum up the dust every day?

With only a couple of hens in an area that large though I'm afraid there may not be much help beyond what you're already doing.

Good Luck!

 

[M.sue]

Quote:
You might want to look into a professional face mask.....not the fabric type....the type that's used by professionals such as painters, sanders, auto body technicians, ect. They have a filter you change regularly. I use my DH's when I clean & spray.

 

[chickflick]

How's everyone enjoying this beautiful weather?? I was outside with just a tee shirt!! Hope it lasts for Halloween.

edited to remove trolling

 

[babigyrl22]

Quote:
Oh thanks this is great advice. I have put straw down in the run and they LOVE digging through it. They get super quiet and determined to find every piece of scratch hidden under there. I might stack some bales up in the run as a wind barrier. You've got my brain cranking....

 

[Olive Hill]

T-SHIRT? It must be warmer there than it is here. I was out in a sweatshirt and was chilly.

Anytime someone disagrees or says "Hey I don't like what you said there." doesn't mean they don't like YOU or that it's a fight. Differences of opinion keep us on our toes, make us think. Some of my dearest friends are also some of the people I disagree with most heartily.

I don't know about anyone else, but one thing that helps me sometimes is just to remember that I can't change anyone else. I can only control myself; my actions, reactions and perceptions. When something seems to be a trend in my life and I'm not liking it I try to figure out why it's recurring for me. What am I doing to attract it or allow it to have such power over me? Sometimes just taking control internally and saying "Nope! I'm not going to allow this to effect me anymore. I'm above this." helps tremendously.

 

[Olive Hill]

Quote:
Oh thanks this is great advice. I have put straw down in the run and they LOVE digging through it. They get super quiet and determined to find every piece of scratch hidden under there. I might stack some bales up in the run as a wind barrier. You've got my brain cranking....

Well, I can't take credit. It's the chickens. We just naturally have areas like this since we have this stuff around for the other stock, etc. I've noticed their behavior over the years and took note of the areas they like best ... I figure if you can recreate it for yours they will probably enjoy it too.

 

[fifelakelooper]

Quote:
I read somewhere on BYC that a different bedding than pine shavings is used in some peoples brooders because it has less dust. I think it is something horse owners use? Like a pellet? Horse owners out there...what is the name of what I'm trying to recall?? Oh the mind...it sure does slip after 60...