Michigan

[cwclub]

I woke up to this morning and my girls waterer was frozen again. Went to TSC and got the heated dog dish. I have it on top of a large rubber tub its stable and hopefully wont get full of bedding...I hope they dont try to roost on it. I catch them now and then on the feeders. lol But anyways fingers crossed it works and their water isn't frozen in the morning.

Hope everyone is well. A friend of mine just got some lavender orpingtons...hoping they turn out to be a breeding pair...I would love to get some chicks in the spring...is it crazy to already be thinking about spring and new chicks? lol

 

[CricketYang]

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Thinking about spring is the only thing that keeps me going!!! I still don't know what we're going to do about our watering situation. I haven't gone to Family Farm in awhile so I haven't looked at my options. UGH.. Why is winter even necessary?!

 

[keyt1969]

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me too! I cant help but think If I am freezing then they must be also. I know they arent, but if I put heat out there, and windblocks- it helps ME go out there and feed and water and collect eggs.

(thats funny- I havent gotten eggs in a long time.)

I use a radiator-type heater in the coop and I have an electric water bowl for the chickens and ducks, my tortoise has a pig blanket in his dog house. Its a hard orange platform meant for piglets to keep them warm after they are born. I used straw also in my tortoise doghouse every year, but this year my husband said no. He said that Bubba just pushes it out, and it makes a mess in the garage. (I will put straw in there this winter, or I will bring Bubba into the house, and then my husband will say: Put straw in the doghouse, I dont care, just get that tortoise out of here. See? Then it will be his idea).....

I have strawbales in a Fort Knox type set up to give the chickens and ducks somewhere to go where the wind won't and if they want to roost above the drifts, they can hop on top the straw.

Hey, if you want to send your tortoise here......LOL

As far as your fort knox set up, are you talking outside or in? We have some not-so-smart pullets that NEVER think to go inside when it rains, so it worries me about snow. I was wondering if I shouldn't have something outside like that. Then again, I'm worried I'm gonna lose them if it gets any colder!

 

[Mom 2em All]

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No way!

Bubba is my buddy and an icon at the local elementary school- he goes every year for career day and the school looks forward to his visit! It is just hard keeping an African tortoise that weighs over fifty pounds, warm in the long winter.

My Fort Knox is outside- the chickens and ducks want to be outside during the day, and I use the strawbales to block wind and tall enough to be bigger than snow drifts. I hate cold- I am the BIGGEST wimp. Therefore, I feel that if I am freezing, everything must be cold. Nice to be out of the wind when they are standing out there wondering where all the grass and bugs went and why this white stuff is everywhere. I think they appreciate it.

I felt so bad for the chickens walking in the snow, with their feet covered in snow that I actually put these waterproof curtains on the ground one winter

...but it gave them somewhere to walk without stepping in snow.

 

[lilmstw72]

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I was but my neighbor and a couple friends/family gave me some so I'm set for now. Thanks!

 

[michickenwrangler]

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Can you use those outside or do they have to be inside?

 

[RIRJen]

that is how I feel...lol
My hens were hatched out the very first week of May and are STILL not laying!!!! They are now 6 months old...and I haven't gotten a single egg. I told them this morning that if they didn't start pulling thier weight they are going to end up in the freezer!
I like the idea of leaves for insulation...I think I'll have to watch for bags of them and winterize my coop this weekend. I don't normally close in the run but that would be nice...The top of the run doesn't come to a peak though so I'm not sure how I'll get away with that. Maybe lay some boards across it and just push the snow off occationally. hmmmm....

 

[justcelia]

Regarding leaves, my neighbor had some set out at the curb and offered them to me, but she has cats and a dog that wander around her yard. I passed on the leaves, thinking there may be "stuff" in the leaves that I wouldn't want around my girls.
Just a thought.

 

[chickflick]

It isn't that the chickens are too dumb to come in out of the rain, it's just that they don't care if they're a little wet. Feathers are actually water proof, except for birds like silkies. My waterers haven't frozen up yet... maybe cuz the coop is insulated. I use the heated dog bowls outside for the wild birds, and it works fine. Also use them inside the coop during the winter and it works out great. To keep it clean, I bring out a bucket and paper towels with me a couple of times a week and just dump the dirty water in the bucket, wipe the bowl with the paper towel and use my gallon jug of water to refill. Anything to make it easier on us humans... chickens don't seem to mind as long as they can get out and enjoy the fresh air and hopefully get some sun. Let's hope for a mild winter!

I hate winter. Frozen everything...fingers, toes, ears, etc. Have a good day, all!

 

[Olive Hill]

Our waterers have frozen here, but mine are outside. Probably makes all the difference at this point.

I used to hate winter, with a capital H-A-T-E. It's still not even anywhere NEAR my favorite season of the year, but... I finally decided since I'm obviously not going to convince my husband to move south (trust me, not for lack of trying! LOL!) I may as well make peace with winter since it takes up a good portion of the year here. The following is a list of things I happily endorse without compensation. If you too would like to make peace with winter... here's how.

Insulated Chore Boots - I wear Bogs just like those pictured below, my husband wears Muck Boots. Both great brands. They're worth every penny and ten more that you'll pay for them. Note: If you're in Mid-Michigan I can tell you where to get Bogs for a reasonable price -- cheapest I've ever seen them.

Insulated Leather Gloves - My hands ACHE when they get cold. I'm too young for arthritis but for as long as I can remember cold and my hands do not mix. The pain is excruciating. Interestingly my youngest daughter seems to have inherited this -- whatever causes it -- since she was a baby if her hands get cold she is absolutely inconsolable. Even my hands don't get cold in well-insulated leather gloves, though. And I spend hours outside doing chores. Even in the -20 we had two winters ago. My hands stayed comfortable.

Carhartt Bibs -- Make sure you get the insulated kind.

Cover Your Neck - They say most of your heat is lost through your head. Fair enough. I've discovered the key for me though, is in the neck. I wear two of the headband type ear covers. One is a wide fleece type and I pull it right on down over my head and tuck it in my hoodie and coat. It keeps my neck warm which keeps the rest of me warm. I like the wide fleece type because on really cold days I also pull the front up over my nose and mouth and that helps a LOT. The other I wear over my ears. I like nice thick, chenille type for that, keeps them warm the best.

Fitted Fleece Socks - These are the best thing since sliced bread.

Now, I'm not saying you and old man winter are going to fall madly in love, shack up and start a family, but winter is less painful with the right gear at least. And honestly so much of the stuff out there today is just JUNK made for running from your car to the heated house or store and back, not actually spending any real time outside. You've got to get the good stuff for that. It's not all pretty, but it's functional. I don't even hibernate as much as I used to.