NY chicken lover!!!!

[Devona]

Oops! Didn't see your last post. He's in a better, painless place now. I know you'll miss him, but time will make it feel less painful for you.

 

[rancher hicks]

So this evening I went out to close up.

The Daisies were okay and laid an egg. They don't like to be confined I think.

BUT when I got to the other half hoop and looked in

all I found was one hen. This coop has/had 3 Lavender EE's, one EE roo, two new laying EE's and Big Delores. What could have happened to all those birds?




I had a inkling since it is so cold out. I looked into the C. Rock coop that has/had 6 C. Rock hens, Shorty, two C. Rock and two blue EE hens. There of course were all the other bird including Big Delores. So I moved the lone EE pullet to that coop and there they are, snug together. Which leaves the half hoop empty but no big deal.

I will need to move the feeder and waterer to the new digs so there is enough water and food. I will leave the door open since they may want to go to the half hoop and lay their eggs, but at least everyone is together and hopefully warmer.

 

[Devona]

Rancher, you must have almost had a twilight zone moment when you missed your birds

I guess they figured out there was warmth in greater numbers. I wanted to put my Chick in the basement bathroom but when I went down there I thought it might be too warm there and the cold will be a shock for him when he goes out in the morning. So I put him at the bottom of the basement stairs when you enter from the backyard. I thought it was warmer than the shed. But now I'm wondering if the cold air won't build up down there overnight. I'm probably overthinking this. I hope my rabbits will be ok in their hutch also. I never kept rabbits outside in the winter before, either.

 

[Chicken girl 15]

At lockdown tonight I discovered my water had froze. Yay. Guess I get to lug water out when I go check on them and gather eggs every couple hours. Yup, I go out multiple times a day. They love their fermented feed but it goes out in batches. Otherwise they make it nasty with poo.

I was using the type of waterer that you flip over remove the bottom, fill, close, flip again. Well now its a black 3 gallon rubber bowl. They aren't sure at first.

 

[Chicken girl 15]

Rancher, you must have almost had a twilight zone moment when you missed your birds

I guess they figured out there was warmth in greater numbers. I wanted to put my Chick in the basement bathroom but when I went down there I thought it might be too warm there and the cold will be a shock for him when he goes out in the morning. So I put him at the bottom of the basement stairs when you enter from the backyard. I thought it was warmer than the shed. But now I'm wondering if the cold air won't build up down there overnight. I'm probably overthinking this. I hope my rabbits will be ok in their hutch also. I never kept rabbits outside in the winter before, either.

is there maybe a way you could move the bunny cage into the chicken shed? Like you said to Rancher, heat in numbers. Lol

I'm worried about mine and I have 20 All cuddled up together. They will either make it or become my first processing attempts, I know not funny but you have to laugh at how bad things suck sometimes.

 

[akaruby]

Thanks everyone for the well wishes for my kitty. He made it to this morning and I got him to the vet. Unfortunately he was having wild blood sugar swings and his diabetes just wasn't going to be manageable. By the time he got in to the vet he was almost in a coma. We opted to have him put to sleep.

I'm truly sorry for your loss, I know how hard it can be.

 

[LuvMyChicks1491]

I put a metal dish of water inside the heated dog dish an hour and a half ago, and it's already frozen solid. Not that the chickens have even come out of the coop yet! Would putting the water directly into the heated bowl make a difference? I was thinking that the metal dish would conduct the heat well...

I just put the water in the heated dish and it works great.

Thanks everyone for the well wishes for my kitty. He made it to this morning and I got him to the vet. Unfortunately he was having wild blood sugar swings and his diabetes just wasn't going to be manageable. By the time he got in to the vet he was almost in a coma. We opted to have him put to sleep.

I'm so sorry.

At lockdown tonight I discovered my water had froze. Yay. Guess I get to lug water out when I go check on them and gather eggs every couple hours. Yup, I go out multiple times a day. They love their fermented feed but it goes out in batches. Otherwise they make it nasty with poo.

I was using the type of waterer that you flip over remove the bottom, fill, close, flip again. Well now its a black 3 gallon rubber bowl. They aren't sure at first.

I usually use the red and white waters, but when the temp starts to drop I start switching them over to the rubber tubs and heated water bowls. I use the 5gal rubber tubs. I have 2 for my ducks and one for my chickens. I use the heated water bowl with the chickens. Last year I was able to go out during the day to bring them fresh water, but now that I'm back to work I don't have that luxury. I know I should put the heated water bowl on something, but it is on the ground. I had it on the ground all last winter and it worked fine. I dump it out each night and wipe it out with some paper towels.

I have one polish hen that doesn't know where she wants to sleep at night. She should be in the little coop with the other polish, but I don't think that she likes it that much. During the nice weather I would have to find her in the tree somewhere and put her to bed each night. The other night she wasn't in her coop and I found her in the big coop...and tonight she was in the other little coop. As long as she is somewhere I don't mind. She is my daughters and if anything happened to her chicken I'm not sure she could handle it right now.

Anyone interested in 4 Red Slate Turkey Hens? I have been trying to sell them and haven't had much luck. I have had 5 people say yes they wanted them then when the time came for them to come and get them, they decided that for one reason or another they couldn't...I was thinking about keeping them, but my kids are scared of them...well not so much them in particular, but the toms when after the kids and ever since they have been scared of the girls even though they wouldn't bother them ever. They are really sweet girls. I want to use the hoop for more chickens!

 

[jmdarrow]

BRRRRR....I just had the hubs get out from under his nice warm blankie to go to the coops with me to check on the chickens I was worried, they were fine. Had to remove the ice cube that was their water the third time today... The snow fence we put up is containing the chickens but the area is a muddy mess thanks to warmer weather and rain. I need to figure out how to store my leaves and pine needles so I can use them when they are needed for things like this.

I hope everyone has a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year!

so sorry about your kitty Pyxis!



Jackie

 

[BakerzDozen]

Thanks everyone for the well wishes for my kitty. He made it to this morning and I got him to the vet. Unfortunately he was having wild blood sugar swings and his diabetes just wasn't going to be manageable. By the time he got in to the vet he was almost in a coma. We opted to have him put to sleep.

I'm sorry you lost your kitty. He must have had some underlying pancreatic issue going on tocause such wild glucose swings.
Either way I know what a kind and wonderful person you are and I am positive he had a wonderful life. Allowing him to pass gently is the most loving thing you could have done for him. Much love and healing being sent your way and I am sorry for your loss.

 

[shodack]

Pyxis, I'm sorry