NY chicken lover!!!!

[Chicken girl 15]

Funny you mention the water. I check it every day, usually only have to fill it twice a week. The last week I've had to fill it every day. No leaks I can find. Thinking I need to get a bigger waterer so I know for sure they aren't running out. 
Their appetites seem to have increased too with the drop in temperature. Learning every day!

Good point to hit on. What can I give these monsters daily to slow down on the feed intake? Great gravy, 10 pounds a day for 20 birds. Is that healthy? The water is going like crazy as well I fill it 2 times a day.

 

[Gramma Chick]

Quote: They will consume a little more for heating themselves .
You could try fermented the feed ..
Most people find they eat 1/2 of what they normally eat before fermenting .
Better for them ...it is easier to digest & they get more of the nutrients .
What are you feeding them now ?
They could have worms ? have you seen any sign of this in their poo ?

 

[HISIRISHGEM]

They will consume a little more for heating themselves .
You could try fermented the feed ..
Most people find they eat 1/2 of what they normally eat before fermenting .
Better for them ...it is easier to digest & they get more of the nutrients .
What are you feeding them now ?
They could have worms ? have you seen any sign of this in their poo ?

Hm, interesting. I've noticed mine were gobbling up their food. I haven't started the fermented feed yet because I didn't think about fermenting until AFTER we made the cool feeder from the piping we got from Home Depot. I looked at it the other day and said, Hmm.

. Since it's a wet feed, won't it freeze overnight? Should I leave the dry feed in their feeder for access at all times and then fermented feed during the daytime?

I was also thinking about the water only in the run idea a great one but then we shut the run in case of predators. I'm assuming all those who leave the water in the run leave the runs open all night so that idea won't work for us either. The hot water in the water feeder...would that work for overnight? I have one of the galvanized waterers I got from runnings but now I'm wondering if that may have been a big mistake because the galvanized will be more likely to free in my opinion. We were planning on getting the heated dog dish (I can't for the life of me remember who does it on here but it was a great idea) so I may do that during the day in their run but am now shying away from it overnight in the coop for fear of fire in the night. SOoooo, if the coop is closed to the run and we don't have a heated dish, what then? The hot water trick? They won't hurt their poor little beaks will they? Gee, how in the world did they do it years ago without electricity?! I always wish I could talk to someone who lived in that era and ask for advice. I have to say I also miss my gram something awful. Her company was the best. She had so much wise advice that my generation and the younger generation could use. I mean the woman made bacon gravy. They utilized EVERYTHING and weren't a throw away society as we tend to be on quick schedules.

I'm sad because I wonder if my daughter will ever know a good healthy relationship with someone who doesn't have a cell phone or tablet in their hand. I'm now talking like my gram at 40 years old. Life, though tough, seemed so much simpler back then. I really do miss the days and traditions of yesteryear. I often wonder how everyone managed to meet together on the holidays but now we're at an age where everyone's schedule doesn't mesh. My husband is an RN on a cardiac unit so it's not like you can tell a cardiac patient to stop having a heart-attack or stroke so you can go home and celebrate with your family. YOU most often become family to the patients. Especially those from assisted living facilities who's family rarely visits.

Anyhoo, sorry to be such a Debbie Downer so to speak. Gee, I went off topic in a tangent. Hahaha All because of wondering how they did it all in years gone by. Hahaha

Hope you all had a lovely weekend! It snowed here too.

 

[HISIRISHGEM]

Snow white and her 7, um 8 dwarves!

If I could have dressed them, I would have.

 

[Glasshen]

Yes, I meant to type a V. I have never put gasoline on either my chickens or my sons. The son did still get frostbite with the goop on. Chickens a bit too. Thank you, Pyxis for having faith in me.

Could you leave the heated water bowl outside in the run? I had been feeding fermented feed for quite a while, including winters, and just gave them enough that it wasn't left over, they gobbled it down. Had an episode with the feed where there were grain mites in and on the bags. Not bad for the chickens, but I didn't want the bags in my basement where I was brewing their feed, so they have been getting dry lately. They drink tons more water.

 

[shodack]

I have been using fermented feed since they were 10 weeks old or so, and did notice a significant drop in feed consumption. Plus, the slightly less gross poops are a huge bonus - I highly recommend it!! Will need to move the whole operation from the garage to the basement soon. I've been feeding just once a day, but will have to start twice a day for the winter. Everything is harder in the winter...

 

[Beer can]

If you don't want to use heated water I've used one of those black rubber bowls from TSC, easy to knock the ice out. I refill it twice a day. Milk jugs cut down work great also and are free, ice comes out easy. I keep the water and food in the coop but coop is 8'x16'.

 

[boskelli1571]

I have too much to do before winter sets in and it actually snowed here today. I started the birds on their before winter worming today, I need to replace the plastic over the cemani coop's run, and I need to build a new gate for my other run. I also need to do one more big coop cleaning. Where did the time go?

How is your blind chicken doing?

 

[Chicken girl 15]

They will consume a little more for heating themselves .
You could try fermented the feed ..
Most people find they eat 1/2 of what they normally eat before fermenting .
Better for them ...it is easier to digest & they get more of the nutrients .
What are you feeding them now ?
They could have worms ?  have you seen any sign of this in their poo ?

No sign of worms just greedy girls. I will try the fermented though, anything has to help. 75lbs a month is crazy.

 

[tao chick]

Everything I've read here has led me to believe that I need to try fermented feed.
I need to catch up with y'all. Hopefully tonight....
We have a skunk problem.
Which means I have a feeding and coop reinforcement and pest removal problem.
Which means I have to get off the tablet and get to work.