NY chicken lover!!!!

[Tab's chicken obsession]

All my chickies made it through the night. They were all at the pen doors begging for treats when I went to check on them. Today I'm going to make bannana bread because it's a good day to have the oven running.

 

[featherz]

Heh, I snapped a screenshot of one of my runs when the auto pop door opened. They wanted to come out but decided all standing together would work best. (and yes, that's chicken wire, it's just over the top of the run as a hawk deterrent.. the rest is HW cloth and welded wire).

 

[happyhensny]

I figured that I would have frozen chicken, on the hoof, as they say.....but no...they are crowing and squacking and making all kinds of complaining noises. It got so cold IN the coop the water froze all the way to the bottom of the dish. I was super glad I have a heated dog bowl in the coop too, so I didn't have to crawl out of bed til 10.

Right now the majority of the flock is standing under the dryer vent, cuz the dryer is running. And I used to call them "dumb chickens"

They will smell great though! :/

 

[Henicillin]

We were lazy and didn't let anyone out until about 11 AM, when it had "warmed up" somewhat. As they have food and their heated dog bowl in the coop (LOVE that thing), they were fine.

I had three eggs, but some of the girls were hanging out in the nest boxes, so the eggs were nice and warm. The chooks were probably irritated that the playroom had been shut off to reduce their space to the 10'x10x roost side of the coop, so they couldn't go play in the alfalfa hay and peck their Flock Block, but too bad, birdies. The playroom half is still uninsulated and is more drafty than the roost side. At the moment, everyone is moseying around the run eating scratch, and no one appears to have any new frostbite.

I'm going to cook them some oatmeal and chop some old apples up for them shortly. They'll love it.

Ginny, I'm not on Tuesday - I am on Wednesday, though, and I can spare a couple dozen "laid in the USA" eggs.

 

[Nambroth]

It got to -7°F here but my thermometer in the coop said the minimum last night was 8° in the coop, which is good. 30% humidity, so it doesn't look like anyone got frostbite. They still won't come outside into the snow, though!

Sometimes I catch my rooster shivering a bit... is it because he's not as soft-feathered as the hens, or is his comb acting as a radiator?

 

[Henicillin]

I just brought out a bucket of warm oatmeal with chopped apples and figs stirred into it, and with about a cup of cider added for flavor. I fed them in their playroom to keep them out of the wind, as they're hanging out in the coop today (except the roos, who keep stepping out into the run to crow back at the chainsaws being used to log a nearby lot). Evidently this is akin to manna from heaven.

 

[FeatherPainter]

It warmed up to -17 at 7:30 this morning in Watertown so I was very happy to hear my girls wanting out this morning. I put some more vaseline on their combs, gave them some mealworms and kale and back into the coop they went. The sun is shining so I'm sure they will be in and out all day, it's 1:00 and now up to 6.

 

[rancher hicks]

Well it got cold alright. I let them out and they were like "OKKKKKKKaaaaayyyyyyy". The hoop coop birds were the most active. I rubbed Udder balm stuff on the combs and got bit for my trouble. There were some bleeding and I have to let them out cuz they peck. Even my two Del roos who have gotten along ok up until now are fighting. Anyhow it was back to the house to get the blue kote. I hate that stuff. It gets everywhere. I wear gloves but still got some spots on my hands. As if age spots weren't enough!

I'm debating whether to buy a heated waterer at CM or not. I'd still have to drag water out each morning. However one gallon isn't enough for the day , so that means another trip with water anyhow. CM has a couple of things on sale. It's the energy cost that is the deterrent. A three gallon jug is $39. The Dels don't like the nipple waterer all that well, so I'd give it to them.

Well it's out to check things. Lunch is over.

Ta, ta for now,

Rancher

 

[Cass]

Three eggs so far today. None of them froze either. I wonder if the roosters are still hanging out in the nest boxes.

If they are I won't chase them out until it warms up outside. They are keeping the eggs warm for me.

Tell me how wrong it is to put a heat lamp bulb in the coop tonight. I am really having feelings of "those poor chickens" right now. (Not enough to go down last night and close the pop door tho. LOL)

My thermometer says it is 30 degrees out, but I keep it directly in the sun so I feel warmer when I read it. (It's probably 22 or so in actual air temp) Birds are outside eating up every Sunflower seed I throw out to them.

I guess we are all very spoiled this year. By this time, last year, we had had a dozen days this cold, or colder. (I remember getting to work several days in a row and it being negative degrees on my car thermometer at 8:30 am)

 

[happyhensny]

Rancher - It wasn't as bad hauling water when I could use my wagon to cart it down to the animals but now there is snow and I have to carry the buckets. Heavy work. Water heaters are awfully nice. Even if they are only used on the coldest days. Good luck and I have been wearing those jersey gloves under rubber dish washing gloves to keep my hands warm and dry.

Just looked at our temps and we are going at 12* but with the wind chill it is -3*. Brrrr!