Minnesota!

[The BlanchRanch]

So none of my EEs have laid in forever!! But my RIR and BR have been going nonstop. Hope I get some colored eggs before winter ends. Two of my three EEs have been in a huge molt. But one is well past hers.
Question. My RIR and BR have been molting lightly. Is this all they do sometimes?

 

[Cebarmlds]

I figured this would be a great place to ask this because I am from MN. Do any of you use horizontal water nipples in the winter here? If so what does yours look like or what are you using for a heater? This is my first winter with chickens. Sorry if this is not the correct place to ask. Any help would be appreciated.

I have horizontal chicken nipples on a 2 gallon bucket with a bird bath heater in it and the lid on, I can get a picture of it tomorrow. It's kept in the run. Last year was the first winter using it and it worked great but last winter was pretty nice. Last year I had it hanging but two weeks ago I switched it to sit on a bucket- just thought it might hold the warmth better.

I have a cookie tin heater inside the coop like the one Bogtownchick posted above, for days they don't want to go out, it sits on bricks. 40 watt bulb max.

 

[The BlanchRanch]

You have the cookie tin heater just for heat or for water when it gets really cold in the coop? Lost you there.

 

[Cebarmlds]

You have the cookie tin heater just for heat or for water when it gets really cold in the coop? Lost you there.

I have the one gallon plastic waterer sitting on the cookie tin heater.

 

[Cebarmlds]

For slightly warming the coop I have a 'Cozy Legs' panel on the wall behind the roost, it's plugged into that whatchmajiggy that goes on and off at 30/40 degrees.

 

[holm25]

I am so excited!! I get to right the duck breed focus and use my own pics!!!

 

[duluthralphie]

What I think we have here, is a failure to communicate.
Ralphy. Being a non-redneck and not understanding such things I have had to study the subject.
I believe you are getting mixed up with your redneck sects.
While the Norwegian redneck may only use salt, pepper and ketchup as spices.
The Cajun redneck (the most dangerous sect of redneck) would go on a war path if such a thing as ketchup was being called a spice.
So reality, of the situation is, that we just don't know what Klops sect of redneck is.

Oh I forget about the sects all the time. While I do not belong to the Norwegian Sect, my wife is born into it and the polish sect. I made an error and married the two sects. I belong to the Swedish Sect, a far superior sect to the rest and the only "true" sect. However, it is hard to argue the Cajun sect does not exist.\

 

[Coffee 1st]

Welcome to all the newbies to the MN BYC... This site and the people here are the best, there is lots to learn and even to just have small talk and enjoy each others conversation its not always about just chickens... AND Ralphies Great Wisdom,,*cough cough* JK,,,,

Ralphie just think with all the new people Camp Day next year should be packed might have to set up 2 plucking stations...you might have to start taking reservation soon...

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Thank you! I have ordered both of them, they will come tomorrow or the next day.

You're welcome Nathan. I hope your birdies get better.

I figured this would be a great place to ask this because I am from MN. Do any of you use horizontal water nipples in the winter here? If so what does yours look like or what are you using for a heater? This is my first winter with chickens. Sorry if this is not the correct place to ask. Any help would be appreciated.

Hi Rich: Welcome.it sounds like you have a great flock and decent sized too. I did a little research on the nipple waterers in winter as it looked like a great set up. No wattles dragging in the founts etc. What I found in my research is that there was mixed results in keeping the flow going through the nipple with enough pressure. So one would almost have to have drinking going on a lot of the time or enough water all the time in the bucket...and at certain point in temperature it didn't matter....the nipples would just freeze shut. I didn't like the idea of carrying a big 5 gallon bucket of water into my coop either in order to have "enough pressure" on something that may or may not work in -25. I never did go through the process of "trying" it though...so it's just these mixed results that I read about it and went in a different direction for my smaller flock of 10 and that was just using the resource of my small plastic fount and the cheap cookie tin heater.

Thanks BC.

Do you use that inside the coop?

It is kind of what I thought it would look like. I am trying to make outdoor waterers so I can have 30 gallons of water in them at a time. This is to help facilitate our going to Alabama. With a stop in Nashville, the home of Americas real music.

I am working on 55 gallon feeders, which I now have perfected. I only lost a little feed trying to get them working.



I got 4 blue diamond encrusted eggs today! I have locked the creamettes up for breeding season and got the 4 eggs. At the rate they lay eggs, I should get 4 more next month too!. I know it is early but I want to make sure they are pure in December when I start collecting to hatch them. I moved the Creamer back in with the Creamettes. That went well.

You have a lot of difference in size for your waterers and feeders than I do. I hope that it still works for you if you decide to go that route. eeeks..
I do keep my fount in the coop...that's where the plug in is. But I'm debating on getting it into the run. I'd have to find a good location and then figure out plugging it in...etc.

Diamond encrusted eggs!!!! Totally jealous. Do you think they started again because the extra boys (harassment) went bye-bye? or are these the young girls at POL?

 

[scandiafowl]

I have 19. I have a few different breeds. silver and golden laced wyandottes, barred rocks, a silkie, a frizzle, easter eggers, salmon faverolles, and a couple more. O, and a giant splash cochin rooster. I live outside of Hastings and Cottage Grove in Denmark town ship. I have used this forum to get me this far, just need a little help setting up for winter. The only real questions that I have are how to keep my water from freezing, and how do I keep my eggs from freezing. I won't have heat, and my coop will not be insulated. 

Hello Rich, no one I know at this point heats their coops. The important thing is is keeping it draft free and dry.

Some folks use the heated dog water dish, others use the metal water heater. If you don't have electricity then hauling fresh water out every day may be the plan.

duluthralphie is right ( as usual), and be cautious about taking advice from those south of the Mason-Dixon Line.

What I did was have my daughter stand in the coop at night and shine a flashlight in corners.

Plan to check for eggs a couple of times a day. Fortunately frozen eggs are just as edible.

PS - Bogtown has a great water warming setup as well.