North Carolina

[ramirezframing]

Good morning folks

it's too dang cold already........and that makes
for one of those days that I just hurt!!!!!! enough said

I will say the kids are quick to get on the bus and are not
playing around outside so much......at least for a few days
......once they get use to it we'll be back to the same old thing

hope everyone has a good day

I feel you on the pain part.

 

[lindz8504]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...ary-of-a-crazy-chicken-man/4410#post_12327431

 

[dutchbunny83]

Holy crap it's cold!!!!!
I think it's going to be a brutal winter, it has never been this cold in November since I moved down here.
I have to rethink my winter set up, ALL of my waterers are frozen and the bottoms you twist off are frozen on. Tried to turn on the hose and it must have had some water stuck up in the coils because nothing is coming out of that either! Fermented feed was frozen solid too. So they're going to have to wait about an hour for it to warm up enough to get some water!!!

Are they going to be okay in the coop at night without a heat lamp or anything??? It's like take your breath away cold. Also the 2 rabbits-- they escaped like 6 months ago and live under my shed now. They come out and run around the yard all day. I tried to catch them to bring them in the house last night, but they wouldn't have it, they were too quick for me. Should I be worried about them out there? I never intended on them staying outside over winter, but I think they did because they grew thick coats and fattened themselves up on my garden!

 

[Tikkijane]

Holy crap it's cold!!!!!
I think it's going to be a brutal winter, it has never been this cold in November since I moved down here.
I have to rethink my winter set up, ALL of my waterers are frozen and the bottoms you twist off are frozen on.  Tried to turn on the hose and it must have had some water stuck up in the coils because nothing is coming out of that either!  Fermented feed was frozen solid too.  So they're going to have to wait about an hour for it to warm up enough to get some water!!!

Are they going to be okay in the coop at night without a heat lamp or anything???  It's like take your breath away cold.  Also the 2 rabbits-- they escaped like 6 months ago and live under my shed now.  They come out and run around the yard all day.  I tried to catch them to bring them in the house last night, but they wouldn't have it, they were too quick for me.  Should I be worried about them out there?  I never intended on them staying outside over winter, but I think they did because they grew thick coats and fattened themselves up on my garden!

They will totally be fine. They don't need supplemental heat or light. Really, they don't. I know a loy of people do give them both and are solidly convinced they need it. They do not. I linked to a really good thread here, too.

http://tikktok.wordpress.com/2013/11/04/they-dont-need-it/

 

[Banriona]

I agree with Coop. While it's a great idea to give them chicks, they need time to recover their own food, water and electricity before they can take on chicks. Plus I think it would be more beneficial for them to be given laying hens than pullets at any rate. Why make them feed them for no immediate return when they are already so tight on resources? I suppose if he's willing to hang on to the trios until they reach POL that would also give time for whatever diseases may be present to show themselves. I have no eggs to contribute anyway so I suppose my opinion is rather moot.

Anyway...... It is freakishly cold! I did give in and put a heat lamp in my coop last night, but only because I'm down to just the three birds in an 8x8 coop right now. I only intend to use it on rare occasions such as last night. Probably didn't even need it then but it helped me sleep even if it didn't help them. I will be adding more litter in there and may just move the three into a smaller area. I have a kids playhouse that's 6x8. Not much smaller, I know - but better than nothing. Assuming all the chicks in my bathtub survive until next winter I'm sure they'll be fine then without any problems.

As for fodder.... here's my setup:



I got the bins from Lowe's for $1.30ea. They are 9x13. I drilled holes in the bottom of all but the bottom one. Stacked them with a baking rack in between each one. Just put the water on the top one and let it drain through all the trays. Once it stops draining I just empty the bottom bin into the sink. Since I only have 11 birds, most of which are still chicks under two weeks old this should be more than enough fodder for a week or more for them. Right now I'm starting BOSS so I soak it a full 24hrs before letting it sprout. I also set a bin weighted with some water in it on top of the seeds for the first day after soaking to simulate being under the dirt. Here's the result so far:


This is the BOSS after 48hrs.

 

[dutchbunny83]

I agree with Coop. While it's a great idea to give them chicks, they need time to recover their own food, water and electricity before they can take on chicks. Plus I think it would be more beneficial for them to be given laying hens than pullets at any rate. Why make them feed them for no immediate return when they are already so tight on resources? I suppose if he's willing to hang on to the trios until they reach POL that would also give time for whatever diseases may be present to show themselves. I have no eggs to contribute anyway so I suppose my opinion is rather moot.

Anyway...... It is freakishly cold! I did give in and put a heat lamp in my coop last night, but only because I'm down to just the three birds in an 8x8 coop right now. I only intend to use it on rare occasions such as last night. Probably didn't even need it then but it helped me sleep even if it didn't help them. I will be adding more litter in there and may just move the three into a smaller area. I have a kids playhouse that's 6x8. Not much smaller, I know - but better than nothing. Assuming all the chicks in my bathtub survive until next winter I'm sure they'll be fine then without any problems.

As for fodder.... here's my setup:



I got the bins from Lowe's for $1.30ea. They are 9x13. I drilled holes in the bottom of all but the bottom one. Stacked them with a baking rack in between each one. Just put the water on the top one and let it drain through all the trays. Once it stops draining I just empty the bottom bin into the sink. Since I only have 11 birds, most of which are still chicks under two weeks old this should be more than enough fodder for a week or more for them. Right now I'm starting BOSS so I soak it a full 24hrs before letting it sprout. I also set a bin weighted with some water in it on top of the seeds for the first day after soaking to simulate being under the dirt. Here's the result so far:


This is the BOSS after 48hrs.

I have to do something like this, I really don't know anything about it.
At what point do you feed this to the chickens?

 

[Hollowoakfarm]

OK...winter is over, bring on Spring



Thinking positive thoughts...


Keep saying it with me!

I'm singing with you! I hate, hate, hate the cold. On the other hand, I love sweaters!

Where are people getting grain for fodder? I'd actually like to do sprouts, but finding good, untreated grain is a problem. Ideally, I'd like barley. If anyone knows where I can get that, please let me know! Since I've got around 100 birds, I don't want to use BOSS. If I can't find barley, I'll get oats, but I'd really prefer the barley!

We are closing in on the end of the semester. It's been a really good one, but I'm worn out and can't wait for the end!

 

[ramirezframing]

Holy crap it's cold!!!!!
I think it's going to be a brutal winter, it has never been this cold in November since I moved down here.
I have to rethink my winter set up, ALL of my waterers are frozen and the bottoms you twist off are frozen on. Tried to turn on the hose and it must have had some water stuck up in the coils because nothing is coming out of that either! Fermented feed was frozen solid too. So they're going to have to wait about an hour for it to warm up enough to get some water!!!

Are they going to be okay in the coop at night without a heat lamp or anything??? It's like take your breath away cold. Also the 2 rabbits-- they escaped like 6 months ago and live under my shed now. They come out and run around the yard all day. I tried to catch them to bring them in the house last night, but they wouldn't have it, they were too quick for me. Should I be worried about them out there? I never intended on them staying outside over winter, but I think they did because they grew thick coats and fattened themselves up on my garden!

This is why I do old vinegar jugs. I can break the ice with a hammer, and remove it, than add warm water for them to drink. If the jug breaks, I replace it with a new one, no big loss. You can also use gallon milk jugs. Just cut the handle near the base so it can hook through the wire, then cut a hole in the front side about half way up the side (opposite of the handle) and remove the lid. Been working great for me.

 

[dutchbunny83]

I can't picture what you are talking about. Wire? How do they drink?
That sounds like a good idea!
We have an abundance of milk containers since we go through a gallon a day!

 

[ramirezframing]

Go on the inside of your pen cut the handle of the jug near the bottom of the handle where it meets the jug (handle is still on the jug, top part is not cut) then bend over and slide a part of the wire through the bottom of the handle where you cut it. This makes it so the handle hangs onto the wire and the birds can not knock it over or move it around the pen. The birds drink through the hole you put in the front of the jug (opposite of the handle). The whole jug is in the pen, but with a hose you can add water to them from the outside of the pen (this is why you remove the lids). I use an old soup can to add warm water in the winter after I remove the ice (I get the warm water in a 5 gallon bucket from the bath tub). If the jug needs rinsed out you just spin the jug upside down using the handle from the outside of the pen.