New Hampshire!

[drakeschicks]

So happy to find this NH thread! I'm in West Chesterfield (southwest corner of the state, just across the river from Brattleboro).

My girls are loving the fall and can't get enough of playing in the leaves:

Great pictures!

 

[1Chick Magnet]

I'm not heating. And I don't want to light it either. Just something to keep the water liquid. Looking at posts now about the cookie tins.

I have used the cookie tins for years. They work great.
My coop is lighted and insulated. The birds stay warm and dry with no problems.

 

[1Chick Magnet]

I do not heat my coops. I find they do just fine snuggled together. I have also read heat lamps can potentially cause more harm than good.
A) they could start a fire and you could lose all your birds during the night.
B) If the power goes out and the heat lamp is no longer on the drastic temp change could kill your chickens
C) The heat can cause moisture build up in the coop and cause frost bite.

And I don't use light because I like to allow them to go through their natural cycle and have a rest from laying in the winter rather than tricking their bodies into laying year round.

ditto to all points. I have a friend who is a fire fighter. He has gone to many coop fires. I decided I wanted them warm, not baked.

 

[1Chick Magnet]

I was just going to change out the water bucket a couple times during the day when its really cold. If that doesn't work out maybe a heated dog bowl, I could run an electric cord out to the run.

When we have fresh snow I give the birds a big dish in the coop. They love it. When the water turns to ice, they still have snow to eat. I started to do this because I have bunnies who would chew electric cords. It feels like I am making snow cones for everyone.

 

[1Chick Magnet]

So happy to find this NH thread! I'm in West Chesterfield (southwest corner of the state, just across the river from Brattleboro).

My girls are loving the fall and can't get enough of playing in the leaves:

really nice pictures

 

[Renie'sPeeps]

We are headed to the shows in Boston in Nov.... taking a few English x American Split roos with us to sell... Anyone interested is welcome to PM me for more info.

 

[drakeschicks]

We are headed to the shows in Boston in Nov.... taking a few English x American Split roos with us to sell... Anyone interested is welcome to PM me for more info.

We'll be at the Boston show on Sunday!

 

[deacons]

How is everyone doing this very cold morning? This was our first really hard freeze here in SW NH, though I expect those of you in the North Country are probably a few weeks ahead of us so may have already gone through the first really bitter morning It was about 20F when I went out this morning, which was sort of hard to take given the nice warm fall we've had so far!

We just finished a new coop a few weeks ago, so this was its first test in pretty cold weather. I was a little worried that we'd left too much vent space around the top, and so I did cover some of the largest openings with double-thick burlap. All the girls were in pretty good shape this morning- my youngest Golden Comet pullet who is still a little immature looking did have some small black spots on her comb and it was a little dry looking, but since it's supposed to warm back up later this week, I don't think I'll jump to Vaseline or anything with her just yet. Everyone else looked fine though, so I'm encouraged the coop will keep them well protected.

The biggest disappointment was that the arugula that was still going like mad in the garden and supplying fresh greens for the girls every day froze solid- we'll see if it perks back up later this week so I can keep cutting it for them awhile longer.

 

[chicken pickin]

It was very cold this morn. I woke up and went to tend to all the animals only find frost on the ground and 7 waterers partially frozen. Boy I am not looking forward to the cold weather, it makes animal chore time twice as long.

 

[Renie'sPeeps]

We'll be at the Boston show on Sunday!

That will be great.... just listen for 2 ladies with southern accents... That should be us..lol