NY chicken lover!!!!

[PhoredaBurds]

We'll have to trade notes this winter. I'm starting with the tape and will add a heater if needed.

Absolutely!!!

I have not heard of anyone using roof de-icing cables, but I suppose it could work. Especially if theres an inexpensive source for them (used, etc). I've used a plug in heated bucket for the geese & it was great, but it died after one season. And those are not cheap. Will be either carting hot water out to the geese or will give them a heated dog bowl this year. Only have 2 geese, so it's not that much trouble.

 

[Beer can]

My adult chickens did not have the nipples as chicks. I have a standard 5 gallon pail with 5 horizontal nipples attached to the side perimeter of the bucket. The bucket sits on top of 2 stacked brake rotors from my truck. I use a bird bath heater in the bucket and the system works all winter long. I fill the bucket every 10 days or so. Chickens learn very quickly to use this setup. First remove any other water source from the coop. The chickens are immediately drawn to the red color of the nipples. When the 1st chicken picks at the nipple it makes a sound that attracts the rest of the chickens and soon they are all fighting for a turn. My coop is filthy from the long winter, but if everyone forgives the mess I will take a couple of pics this evening. It is in bad need of a good spring cleaning!

This is my adult chicken water set up. In the coop I have it sitting on 2 stacked truck rotors. There are 5 horizontal chicken nipples around the perimeter. I have a "Gamma Seal" lid on top and I have drilled a hole in the top and rigged some custom made pcv pieces to allow a bird bath heater to enter the center of the lid for winter use. `

From what I've read on other BYC threads, the birdbath deicers don't get warm enough. Think I'm going to try 50w aquarium heaters and keep an eye on the temperature. Sounds like people have had success w the pipe heat tape too, but I'm not sure how to make that work w my setup.

Hmm, I've heard birdbath heaters work excellent. Maybe not all are created equal? Some better than others? I plan on making two just like Pharka's above. One for the big coop and one for the bachelor coop/tractor. I'll be looking into what birdbath heaters work the best instead of getting what I find first now. My brother just made one but hasn't got the heater yet, I'll have to let him know he might want to research to make sure he gets a good one.

 

[PhoredaBurds]

Hmm, I've heard birdbath heaters work excellent. Maybe not all are created equal? Some better than others?
I plan on making two just like Pharka's above. One for the big coop and one for the bachelor coop/tractor.
I'll be looking into what birdbath heaters work the best instead of getting what I find first now.
My brother just made one but hasn't got the heater yet, I'll have to let him know he might want to research to make sure he gets a good one.

Just my impression from what I read. I don't have direct experience w birdbath de-icers, they might work great. Sounded like they will keep the water in a bucket open, but water still freezes in the nipples if it gets too cold, even the horizontal ones. I figured bc the cheapest birdbath de-icer is about the same price as a decent small aquarium heater, I'd try that first. Definitely let us know how ur system works. Comparing notes will help us all. .

Btw, how r ur other projects going? How r ur JGs doing? I just processed some roosters, same age & breed as the ones I caponized earlier in the season. There's a significant difference in how the Capons dressed out. Enough of a difference that I plan to caponize again in the spring and may hatch out some heavier heritage breed for that. Not sure which breed just yet. Interested in your opinion on this.

 

[PhoredaBurds]

The horizontal nipples are really easy to install. Just have to have the right size drill bit, hole in bucket, and they screw right in. Took a couple days to convince my birds to use them, but once one uses it, the others watch & follow suit.

 

[akaruby]

From what I've read on other BYC threads, the birdbath deicers don't get warm enough. Think I'm going to try 50w aquarium heaters and keep an eye on the temperature. Sounds like people have had success w the pipe heat tape too, but I'm not sure how to make that work w my setup.

From what I've researched the 50w aquarium heaters work well but may need a little weight attached to them to keep them toward the bottom of the watered.

I'm also going to add some styrofoam insulation to my coop before winter with a pieces of plywood or scrap wood in front to keep the chickens from pecking it. What do you guys use for your coop? Do you insulate?

 

[Pyxis]

From what I've researched the 50w aquarium heaters work well but may need a little weight attached to them to keep them toward the bottom of the watered.

I'm also going to add some styrofoam insulation to my coop before winter with a pieces of plywood or scrap wood in front to keep the chickens from pecking it. What do you guys use for your coop? Do you insulate?

I used an aquarium heater rated for a 5 to 10 gallon tank in my five gallon waterer last winter and it did great, the water never froze, even on the ridiculously cold days we had. I don't insulate my coop, but I do cover most of the front in clear plastic in the winter to keep the cold out and help keep the heat the birds generate in.

 

[akaruby]

I thought I'd post a few pictures of my chickens! Happy Sunday!

Little Buckeyes


Sprout - serama


All the babies - Lavender orp, polish, 2 buckeyes and barnevelder


My lavender orp roo

 

[rancher hicks]

Wnet and picks apples today. Got a lot to make applesauces. We like O'Neils for apples because they're cheaper than B&K and we can pick a variety. We did go to B&K but not for apples. It was packed today.

We would have gotten Pumpkins but they were expensive too. TJ's had them for $3.99. I wish I could get some after the season cheap as I can freeze them and give them to the chickens later in the winter. Last year I scored some squashes real cheap.

As for Runnings generally I don't go there but they had the plastic I used to cover my runs on sale for $5.99 rather than the $11.99 regular price or the $19.99 that TSC has it.

TSC usually matches the price for me but they didn't have any of the feed on the floor. I wonder if they pulled it til the sale ended. Not that I buy many bags, but I know CM will not price match.

I like the folks at TSC and I will buy the Dumor Chick starter because it's 20%. The Runnings feed is only 18%.

Plus the Nutrena feed is a 40# bag as compared to the Dumor or Agway which is 50#.

Akaruby: Nice picks. Kinda makes me wish I hadn't given up my Lavender Orps. I wonder if Tabs still has them.

I am tired, why can't apples grow on level ground?

TTFN,

Rancher

 

[myfivegirls]

Sounds like a re-occurring theme of roosters & what to do with them all before winter. So far I've processed 17 roosters, have more to be done, but planning on sending the youngest roosters too young to process to the auction.
Yes, roosters are a "side-effect" of hatching your own, but they sure all very pretty to look at. The selection process is always difficult, as some are just gorgeous.

Yes, I have a bachelor coop, but space is limited. Last year I fed 17 roosters all winter, and I've got a lot of culling & selling to do before I get back down to that, and hopefully, I won't have to keep so many.

Plus, I just had two more batches of Muscovy ducks hatch & they won't get big enough to process before winter. And I don't want to feed 20-some ducks all winter long.

But, the upside to so many roosters, is that I can select the best ones, and I know they've had a good life.

Here's some photos to share with you all. I think this pullet that's 1/2 SFH, hence the "crazy hair-do", as her dad was crested. She's not repeatable, as I culled that rooster, since I he wasn't
had some faults & was too aggressive for breeding pure SFH. But, he made a cute cross. The 2nd pullet is actually blue on her back 1/2, and thankfully no one has picked out her beard (yet).


Some of the "pretty boys", plus a duck playing "peek-a-boo" (just noticed its eyes) - can you find it?



The pullet on the left just recently started laying eggs, her "dad" was Bob the Bielefelder and mom was "Susan" a CH green egg layer.
Either her or her sister is laying a nice khaki, almost olive egg! So excited, as she's a real beauty, plus a very uniquely colored egg.

 

[Beer can]

Just my impression from what I read. I don't have direct experience w birdbath de-icers, they might work great. Sounded like they will keep the water in a bucket open, but water still freezes in the nipples if it gets too cold, even the horizontal ones. I figured bc the cheapest birdbath de-icer is about the same price as a decent small aquarium heater, I'd try that first. Definitely let us know how ur system works. Comparing notes will help us all. .


Btw, how r ur other projects going? How r ur JGs doing? I just processed some roosters, same age

Yup comparing notes will help us all, still looking into all options, need to decide soon, like it or not winter is a coming!  and I don't want to be busting ice again...

White JG doing great, growing much quicker than expected. Had a couple deaths as chicks, not used to that, few with their (sandhill) packing peanuts, red sussex. Three sussex and two giants died right off, wasn't happy, but survivors very hardy and healthy. Have three giants non breeders, two yellow legs and one no tail and bushy leg feathers, looks like a rumpless aruacana crossed with a fluffy butt orpington. Others are amazing! I can pick out the breeders on the red sussex, giants they all look so good I'm building a tractor/coop bachelor pad to keep them till spring before I make any decisions. Will work out great for my giant silkie project, have a huge roo from TSC, four pullets laying daily! and one huge roo!
Silkie roo will be with the girls till spring, hopefully they lay by then and we can have a hatch.
Will be later spring before I'll be hatching pure white giants for capons.

My opinion on good capon breeds? not what I'm doing, Lol, I just want the biggest. I'm kinda glad Sandhill sent me those red sussex packing peanuts even though I only see two pullets and three cockerels as SOP, rest have way to much black feathering in the breast. They grow fast like New Hampshire's, but are a ancient breed so I'm glad I didn't get the Langshans that grow super slow like the giants.
IMHO NN Turkens are the perfect meat bread for caponizing, they  grow great and lay great and  are somehow hardy to cold weather even though the have a naked neck?
You've heard the breese is one of the best tasting chickens? And the Barbezieux the third best, better than the breese, a roasting chicken where  the breese is typically poached? (According to the French) Well I wondered what was the #1. Took some time, couldn't find any thing in English, all French, but I finally found it, did some google translate, not a strange weird breed never heard of, it was Poulet Rouge, naked neck chickens!!....we have them here...
Naked neck turkens and new hampshires would be the best picks for capons in my opinion.
Edited to add, Delaware and light Sussex are also good picks IMO.
Green Fire Farms had a good writeup on Bielefelders for capons http://greenfirefarms.com/2012/08/the-case-for-inefficiency/