NY chicken lover!!!!

[Cass]

One quart is a very tiny bowl. I'd get the gallon ones. I got a bunch at walmart for $5 last summer on clearance, but around now they usually run around $20-$25, like this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Farm-Innovators-2-Gallon-Round-Heated/dp/B001G1C8BQ

I agree. One quart isn't very big and is going to have to be refilled several times a day. My flock of 20+ has a 1.5 gallon one in their side and the smaller side with 8 has last year's gallon waterer. I have to fill the larger one daily, as it is empty, and top off the smaller one daily for it doesn't hold 2 days worth of water. (Winter is the only time I regret my choice of Sand in my coop. They manage to fill the bottoms of the bowls with sand daily, so I have to take an empty bucket down to dump the dreges in. Just another step I don't enjoy in the cold of winter)

 

[Henicillin]

There is a light coating of snow here, and consternation abounds. I filled the feed and water bowls and then went to let the hordes out of their coop. The usual front-runners made a mad dash for the pop door - and then stopped dead in their tracks on the ramp. Poultry traffic jam! Papa Captain Morgan, who has been this route before, promptly trotted out and started eating, with the only sign of annoyance being his lifting his head after every bit of scratch he picks up to shake snow off his wattles. The ducks don't care, and the littlest chooks have been in and out of the coop. The rest of them, even the year-old birds who have seen some snow (although admittedly not a whole lot last year) are all horrified. They're coming out one by one and trying to fly across the run to avoid the Evil White Stuff, but not succeeding very well. The whole thing is absolutely hilarious!

 

[ChickPrincess]

Funny, Henicillan... mine don't seem to even notice the snow. That is, except for eating it.

Great suggestions on the food pantries. I'll have to do a little research and see where they can best be used.

Do anyone else's chickens EAT snow? I'm wondering if this is common, or if they are dehydrated. I switched last week to the nipple waterers. I have one pail right now with 4 nipples. I wanted to wait to be sure they used it fine before I set up the second pail. Obviously, they are all drinking from it because I would've had major trouble with dehydration already. This morning when they first came out, they all ran to the snow and started eating it. I know they are drinking from the pail. I've watched them. I know I need a second pail, as I have 39 chickens. So, is this normal behavior to eat snow? They seem perfectly fine besides that. No signs of dehydration or anything.

 

[Cass]

Funny, Henicillan... mine don't seem to even notice the snow. That is, except for eating it.

Great suggestions on the food pantries. I'll have to do a little research and see where they can best be used.

Do anyone else's chickens EAT snow? I'm wondering if this is common, or if they are dehydrated. I switched last week to the nipple waterers. I have one pail right now with 4 nipples. I wanted to wait to be sure they used it fine before I set up the second pail. Obviously, they are all drinking from it because I would've had major trouble with dehydration already. This morning when they first came out, they all ran to the snow and started eating it. I know they are drinking from the pail. I've watched them. I know I need a second pail, as I have 39 chickens. So, is this normal behavior to eat snow? They seem perfectly fine besides that. No signs of dehydration or anything.

Is *anything* "normal" when it comes to chickens? I mean really, they eat poop...that's just not normal.

 

[rancher hicks]

Mine eat snow even when there is water. They're just weird.

 

[Henicillin]

The ducks were chowing down on the snow, ignoring the freshly filled water bowls. Apparently snow is delicious. One of my dogs agrees wholeheartedly with their assessment, so it's a cross-species thing.

 

[weaversfarm]

Hi all, I am surprised at how many people are here from NY. Nice to see so many people from WNY here. I live in West Almond, NY with my husband, son, daughter and grandson. I am about 1 hour east of Olean and 1/2 hour west of Hornell. This is a fantastic site! I currently have 54 RIR and am getting around 36 eggs to hatch out next week.

 

[cheeka]

weaversfarm

glad you found the thread, nice to have you here!

my gang is comprised of all youngsters, I've had a couple of minor snowstorms over the last month, so it's a new experience for them, and yessirree they eat it and scratch around in it, then head to where there is still some grass, or go straight under my truck for their secret chicken club meetings, conspiring together for their next bunch of antics...

I finally finished getting the Chicken Dome's front wall and human entry door covered in flex-o-pane. it's really nice, completely clear plastic, durable stuff, bolted in place... now the enclosure has zero drafts, but has plenty of ventilation.

I paid attention to rancher and the hot water, and have been bringing hot water out 2ce daily for the last couple of days ~ they love it! they drink as much water as they did in the summer heat ~ I had noticed that water consumption was down during the last month with the cold snap... I'm relieved to have blocked off the last of the drafts as they like to dunk practically their entire heads in the warmth... don't want frostbitten faces bc of drafts...

I've been reading the "Old Timer" thread, and followed some advice about feeding some lard/oil... with animal protein to keep them warm as opposed to corn... I had made a great chicken vegetable soup about 2 weeks ago, and had some leftover after filling the freezer, and I had the golden fat that I had skimmed off ~ tonight, after chores were done, I took a big spoon of the fat, melted it into a 2 quart bowl of the hot soup and brought it out to the gang. when I say it was entirely gone in 30 seconds, I am not exaggerating! I've seen them devour things right quick but this was amazing! So, off to their roosts they went, crops full of warmth to keep them warm all through the night...

getting psyched for Tuesday and the arrival of the new EE chicks, picked up chick crumbles today!

 

[ChickPrincess]

Hi all, I am surprised at how many people are here from NY. Nice to see so many people from WNY here. I live in West Almond, NY with my husband, son, daughter and grandson. I am about 1 hour east of Olean and 1/2 hour west of Hornell. This is a fantastic site! I currently have 54 RIR and am getting around 36 eggs to hatch out next week.

Welcome, Weaversfarm! Glad you found us!

 

[pharmchickrnmom]

mark