NY chicken lover!!!!

[Gramma Chick]

Quote:
Thats what mine were doing today I was inside the coop/ run they were pecking the snow off my boots ..when I was working inside it
It was so cold today I didnt let them out ...It was warmer inside there about 20 degrees .
I added another blanket to the far wall of the coop to see if it would block some of the cold from that side
( to Insulate it some more )(I only have plastic over board slats on that side ) lll lll lll <--something like this
I came in a couple hours to warm up ...it seemed a little warmer in there .
I also put a regular heating pad under 1/2 of the 2 dishes to see if that would help The FF not freeze . Had to add a outlet splitter so I could have 2 outlets
1 for the water dish , 1 for the heating pad

 

[Gramma Chick]

I realize it's cold out there, I mean it IS winter after all, but I cannot believe the lengths some people go to try to "protect" their chickens from the cold other than making sure they are in a coop at night. I'm not going to say what thread but every once in a while I pop over to another thread and read how people are adding heat lamps to their coops to keep chickens warm, using insulation in their coop walls to keep it warmer, sealing up the open spaces to keep drafts out...doesn't all this add risk to the chickens getting frostbite?!? This is New England, not the arctic. I mean people raise chickens in parts of this world much colder than here and they're birds are doing ok. Sorry, had to vent here because the last time I gave my 2 cents on that thread it opened up a whole can of worms!

What you visit other threads ? NO ! We want you all to ourselves ! LOL
I visit the natural thread ..you might enjoy that ..you will also see some of us NYers there too . they are nice there too .
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/729605/the-natural-chicken-keeping-thread-ots-welcome

 

[Pyxis]

It was SO cold today. Poor birds did not come out of the coop once. Not even the ducks or the goose. I'll be out to shovel their run better tomorrow and I'll see if they come out then. I also picked up some EE chicks today to keep my little solo hatch company. They are a week old so a little bigger, but they seemed to settle well. Not really ameraucanas, but just 'purebred' EEs as I had expected. Still, I got a really nice variety of colors and they'll just go into my OE breeding pen, so that's fine.

We're also missing a cat tonight. He's been gone for a day and a half now and we're starting to worry. I'm hoping he just holed up somewhere to try to wait out the cold but he never ever stays out so I'm not sure. I'll look around for him tomorrow but other than that I guess it's just wait and see.

 

[Gramma Chick]

It was SO cold today. Poor birds did not come out of the coop once. Not even the ducks or the goose. I'll be out to shovel their run better tomorrow and I'll see if they come out then. I also picked up some EE chicks today to keep my little solo hatch company. They are a week old so a little bigger, but they seemed to settle well. Not really ameraucanas, but just 'purebred' EEs as I had expected. Still, I got a really nice variety of colors and they'll just go into my OE breeding pen, so that's fine.

We're also missing a cat tonight. He's been gone for a day and a half now and we're starting to worry. I'm hoping he just holed up somewhere to try to wait out the cold but he never ever stays out so I'm not sure. I'll look around for him tomorrow but other than that I guess it's just wait and see.

I wondered if you got them today .
You should name that chick Solo .Does it like the company?

 

[Gramma Chick]

Quote:
it is GROSS ! and sad coz you see the potential of what could have been a chicken .

 

[Gramma Chick]

"I've been waiting for you, Obi-wan. We meet again at last. The circle is now complete. When I left you I was but the learner. Now I am the master. I am Duck Vader."
This is for all of you who have went to the DUCK SIDE

 

[Breella]

Ohhhh...I was under the impression that when you mentioned "processing" her you wanted her processed for eating. If you have it in you to go thru the motions to figure out what caused her death then more power to you! You go girl! I don't have the stomach for that type of thing. I cracked open my first egg after it stopped developing and that was enough for me!

well that is just gross

. That is something I have never done. Yuk!

I've done that with my last hatch. It's my inner vet tech I think. I'm always curious, even if I'm sad at first in the end I'm always curious as to why.

There are wonderful videos on YouTube on butchering chickens. That's how I learned. It will take 3 days for the rigor to pass. Once she is moveable again, then watch the videos. Find a huge pot. Bring it to just about boiling (180 degrees). Dunk her in the hot water for about 30 seconds. (Per side if she is a big girl) Feather pull out easier after such a dunking. Then ask Ray to do the rest. That's how I do things. LOL But he learned how to do it from Youtube videos. Oh, and I always have him remove the head, cuz that way I don't see it as "my bird", it's just a dead body that needs to be processed for the freezer. (If I know it is Ollie or Henry I cry. But without the head it is just a body)

My Fiance is not an outdoorsy man. He has a very sensitive stomach and a big heart and he can't even be in the same room when kittens are being born. I do all the outdoor work myself.

"I've been waiting for you, Obi-wan. We meet again at last. The circle is now complete. When I left you I was but the learner. Now I am the master. I am Duck Vader."
This is for all of you who have went to the DUCK SIDE

That is adorable.

 

[Gramma Chick]

What is this chicken thinking?

I can always get a second job as a Phyllis Diller impersonator!

 

[Sally8]

 

[featherz]

My husband is so awesome - he's been up all night dealing with frozen pipes (a window was left open somewhere) and he volunteered to go out and look at the chickens for me. I figured I could do food and water later when it warms up a little (there's some available now) and do other checks, but he tromped out there to all four coops - says everyone looks alive and well. whew!