Minnesota!

[BlackBrookPoultry]

So far its -9F and I only hope it gets warmer soon!! I am tired of putting so many layers on that I walk like a pengin. I may decrease my waterfowl flock come fall as it is too hard on me with my disability's. I know now that I bit of more than I can chew. My DH is gonna be gone for another 8 weeks so I will be on my own again.

I will be buying another 2 heated dog dishes today for my other two chicken coops.

Yeah, you better get rid of those messy little call ducks. You can send them my way . . .

 

[lalaland]

those of you that are talking about using heated dog bowls: I learned this trick from a different thread on byc - best thing ever! Use plastic ice cream buckets in side the dog dish. makes it so easy to clean it out - you don't have to mess with the plugged in, frozen, obstinate electric cord - just pick the bucket up, empty/wipe/refil and you are good to go.

Has made my life easier with this cold weather.

 

[bantiesrule]

I started a new thread about a sale in South Dakota but haven't seen any replies so thought I would copy my request here:
Platte, SD "One of A Kind Sale" Feb. 23, 2013
It's a 2 hour swap first and then they auction what doesn't sell. I was wondering if anyone ever went and what to expect? Do they get a commision on the swap or only on the auction? Is there usually a good variety of poultry? Any swans, peafowl, pheasants or exotic geese?
I would think this is early for a good turnout but you never know.

Here's a link to it:
http://www.sosranch.net/auctionsales/Heritagesale/Heritagesale.htm

 

[Triplell]

those of you that are talking about using heated dog bowls:  I learned this trick from a different thread on byc - best thing ever!  Use plastic ice cream buckets in side the dog dish.  makes it so easy to clean it out - you don't have to mess with the plugged in, frozen, obstinate electric cord - just pick the bucket up, empty/wipe/refil and you are good to go.

Has made my life easier with this cold weather.

Wont the heated bowl melt the ice cream pail? Last year Dad forgot to refill the dog dish for the dogs and it melted the bowl.

 

[lalaland]

I have 4 heated dog bowls, 3 of the big blue and one mottled grey, use ice cream buckets in all 4, and have never had a problem with anything melting. They are on 24/7 and have been for months now. One bowl is sometimes empty because I feed wet mash in it, and when the chickens finish it, it stays empty til the next day, and it doesn't melt.

 

[lauralgirl]

I figured I'd give them the illusion of choice

 

[lauralgirl]

I have 4 heated dog bowls, 3 of the big blue and one mottled grey, use ice cream buckets in all 4, and have never had a problem with anything melting. They are on 24/7 and have been for months now. One bowl is sometimes empty because I feed wet mash in it, and when the chickens finish it, it stays empty til the next day, and it doesn't melt.

Love that idea for mash!!! I have a few extra heated water dishes that I use for water in the rabbit hutches... they would be perfect for mash.... don't know why I never thought of that!

 

[Bogtown Chick]

6 DegreesToday!!!! alleiluia!

I opened the pop door this morning and shut off the Brooder lamp!

So looking to the 30+ degrees they've predicted for this weekend!

LaLaLand do you get a little superficial frost bite on wattles feeding wet food? I did some FF feed in November but then shut it down when I started seeing frost bite on the roos. I'll probably pick it up again this spring. They get so much benefit from that fermented feed but I just don't want to do maintenance on those frost bites.

 

[Triplell]

lalaland I am gonna give it a try and see how it works out with my set up. It is a GRAT IDEA TOO.

 

[lalaland]

I keep it dryer if that makes any sense so it is the texture of oatmeal , and also don't have any roos right now so not those big wattles to worry about.

I am also so relieved it is warmer. I have a girl in a hard molt (brought on by a horned owl attack) and I have had to have a heat lamp for her because she was literally shivering.