Minnesota!

[mnbrewdude]

Is it just me or is it REALLLY cold and windy this morning!? How are your flocks handling the 40 degree weather change? I bought all my hinges, locks and hardware for my two big doors yesterday and didn't even have the desire to go fidget with them outside. When we build our new shop in a few years, 12 foot doors will be a minimum!

 

[KlopKlop]

Is it just me or is it REALLLY cold and windy this morning!?  How are your flocks handling the 40 degree weather change? I bought all my hinges, locks and hardware for my two big doors yesterday and didn't even have the desire to go fidget with them outside. When we build our new shop in a few years, 12 foot doors will be a minimum!

They do just dandy. They stay inside out of the wind and venture out only when they need to get a drink (no water in the coop to keep moisture levels down)
I just make sure to provide them with entertainment once a day to keep them sane. This includes corn on the cob, scratch mixed into the bedding to encourage scratching and also feeding oat fodder. The oat fodder is great. Not only gives them nice greens in the winter but encourages games of keep away which stretches their legs

 

[MinnesotaNice]

I always wear gear as well. I have been in bad accidents. Broke bones on two of them. Still wouldn't think life was worth living without one. My wife and daughter ride too.

Here is our booth.

Do you do restoration work? I absolutely love the cafe style. I'd love to get a vintage Norton or Triumph. CHA CHING!

 

[mnbrewdude]

For us who need to/will need to use water heaters, do you just keep the heated water dishes outside and avoid any wind, or do you put the water inside where the birds can access it (and increase risk of humidity, fire, dirtied water etc.?

 

[holm25]

Well I think my first batch of fodder was a sucess!! They ate two trays in one hour!! I am going to feed about four trays a week I think.

 

[holm25]

For us who need to/will need to use water heaters, do you just keep the heated water dishes outside and avoid any wind, or do you put the water inside where the birds can access it (and increase risk of humidity, fire, dirtied water etc.?

I would go without heated waterers. I use a rubber tub and give the ladies water once a day. Anf to be honest they dont even drink out of it. They all eat snow!! The only birds that use the water is the waterfowl. If I did use heated waterers I wood leave them outside for the safety of your flock.

 

[KlopKlop]

For us who need to/will need to use water heaters, do you just keep the heated water dishes outside and avoid any wind, or do you put the water inside where the birds can access it (and increase risk of humidity, fire, dirtied water etc.?

I use heated dog dishes from fleet farm. They are plastic and very rugged. They can ice over on subzero days but I just bang them on a fence post and the ice breaks away. They draw very little power and are very safe. I think it hold 5 quarts which lasts all day for 25 hens

I have 2 coops. One coop the waterer is outside, the other it is 'inside' but that area has slatted walls (it's a corn crib) so I don't worry about moisture.

 

[Cluckies]

For us who need to/will need to use water heaters, do you just keep the heated water dishes outside and avoid any wind, or do you put the water inside where the birds can access it (and increase risk of humidity, fire, dirtied water etc.?

My heated waterers are in the run, but out of the wind as I have a covered run from all sides in the winter. My chickens are in the run year round. they are never in the henhouse except to lay eggs, then right back out. you can see my set up if you click on "my coop" under my avator. Scroll all the way to the bottom few pictures.




Here are the waterers (photo from last year) but set up is basically the same.

 

[Minniechickmama]

I use heated dog dishes from fleet farm. They are plastic and very rugged. They can ice over on subzero days but I just bang them on a fence post and the ice breaks away. They draw very little power and are very safe. I think it hold 5 quarts which lasts all day for 25 hens

I have 2 coops. One coop the waterer is outside, the other it is 'inside' but that area has slatted walls (it's a corn crib) so I don't worry about moisture.

Wow! I have 7 bird in each of my New Hampshire pens and their 96-ounce waterers are bone dry every day when I go out. I am thinking some of that is evaporating though from the heat. I can't believe they drink that much, especially when I have the same bowls in other pens with more birds that don't even drink it all.

MNBrew - I have heated dog bowls inside for those pens that are closed in, but as you have probably seen, my coop is not closed off and I don't have an issue with moisture inside the building. I do the rubber pans outside and bust them out every day when they freeze. Actually, I was amazed that today, they weren't all frozen through, some still had water in the center or on the bottom. The outdoor attached runs are now roofed and I have the ends closed. The South face is covered in plastic or plastic mesh feed bags to the extent needed to keep blowing snow and hard wind out. There are still plenty of gaps and cracks that air gets through, but it is still quite a bit warmer inside of it.
It is better with a coop like what you are building to keep the water outside if possible. If you are going to be able to close off the run in Winter, that would work well for keeping the waterer out there too.

 

[Coffee 1st]

Have you guys seen this insanity??

ahhhh .... Speechless...LOL....