***OKIES in the BYC III ***

[lonnyandrinda]

@artsyrobin that's a suspiciously long and curvy tail for a girl that age. I'm thinking boy.

 

[artsyrobin]

@artsyrobin that's a suspiciously long and curvy tail for a girl that age. I'm thinking boy.

hmmmm... well if it is he may meet coral one day, i keep going back and forth on him/her - this one is flighty

 

[Kassaundra]

i sure hope you get whatever is doing it- so devastating to lose them that way!


any guesses on our Oreo yet, MR OR Miss?? 4 month old Polish mix




and we have a broody.... this girl from @Loriemarler she currently is the only one laying in the main flock, and is pretty serious about that empty nest under her...

Long curvy tail, spikey hair doo, red spots on the wings, thick legs, my guess is Mr.

 

[erinszoo]

 

Getting kind of scared, my first winter with chickens, I hate the thought of them being to cold, any suggestions on keeping chickens in the winter.  Thanks for any help.

Just think of it this way, chickens come with their own feather coats!


We have a house for winter that they are closed in at night but during the day they run free. If it snows they tend to stay inside unless we put out some straw. The turkeys, otoh, don't mind snow at all. The biggest trick in winter is keeping your waterers thawed and your hans from freezing while filling them.

wear surgical gloves inside your regular gloves or wear dishwashing gloves over your regular gloves.  Keeps your hands dry so the don't get as cold.

Fabulous idea!!

 

[erinszoo]

I have just learned you can make wine from chocolate, my oh my you know what my fermenters will be filled w/ when not in fruit season!!!!!!

You make wine too? We've done elder flower and elder berry wine and blackberry cordial before, but this year branched into hard cider and plum wine. What do you make?

 

[ashtree]

Long curvy tail, spikey hair doo, red spots on the wings, thick legs, my guess is Mr.

X2 that tail! I hope you can keep him.

 

[artsyrobin]

Quote:
so far he is sweet, i have him in a pen in the main coop and galahad doesn't seem to mind- we'll see how that goes- its just a matter of finding a place for him... trying to limit my birds - does anyone need him? He hatched from a blue egg

 

[NanaKat]

The owl was in the snap trap in front of the Cochin coop this morning. It actually set off both traps. He had to land in the pen and hop under the cover to get to the front of the coop. Dead predator!

 

[Kyzmette]

I feed hot breakfast, hot oatmeal or something like that, vaseline to the combs, if they have large combs, their body heat heats up the coop too, deep litter for them to snuggle in

the only ones i bring in are the seramas, as they can't handle below 40 degrees without a heat source- drafts and moisture your need to watch with the others, it is the condensation that causes frostbite.

More winter tips. You guys feel free to keep adding, because we all need to learn (except Nanakat, who knows all).

If you don't use heated waterers, those black rubber bowls at TSC are fantastic. You can flip them over with a foot, thump them on the bottom, and the ice pops right out.

Sunflower seeds are a great winter protein booster. And suet can be bought at a butcher's for cheap, and the incrased fat will help them keep heat. Make your own treats for them.

If your birds have tubs or nesting boxes they use be very careful with the bottom of it. My babies managed to scrape the hay out of one, then when they used it to hunker down, the wind carried the freezing temps under the box and my roo's feet froze solid. I still mourn his loss. Put a lip on the boxes to keep bedding inside, and put another layer of bedding underneath them, if they're on the ground.

Birds keep their feet warm by sitting on them, so give them a broader roost, instead of a narrow one. Toe tips left exposed are most susceptible to frostbite.

Use vaseline on comb tips to stave off frostbite.

Feed warm treats, like oatmeal, potatoes, etc. Dont be afraid to add fruit. Dont overdo the sugar, but they will need plenty of extra energy to create the extra internal heat they need, so don't be as restrictive on their diet as you are over the summer.

Cover your coop in black plastic, since black traps heat. Leave plenty of ventilation, though.

If your coop has an exposed side, hang a transparent shower curtain over it, so the sunshine can still get inside. I even use curtain rings on mine, so I can easily remove and replace it.

 

[greenacregirl]

Hey y'all. New to Oklahoma, chickens and BYC But Having a great time. I have a lot of support locally. My uncle sent "my kids" Lol 15 RIR, 14 guineas, and four turkeys. And I am pickin' up 9 laying hens Monday. I can't wait.