Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[SilkieSensation]

It's a bit chilly in the cabin this morning. Pokey (bigger on left) & Spike have a skin of ice in their tank again. This is even sitting up on my dresser at the foot of my bed, closer to the woodstove than I am. Even with getting up every 2 hours to check the stove last night I had trouble keeping it burning well. It's going better now, but will take a while to get everything warmed up in here.

I hope you get warm and stay warm! I'm freezing just reading this!

I have 2 pairs of socks, shoes & my coat on...in the house...lol

It's already about 20 degrees warmer than it was tho so I'm good. We sleep with piles of blankets on the beds just because of this.

 

[hendricks115]

Dreading going out to feed but I got my warm bucket of water and warm food. Made the gang oatmeal and rice and mixed some of their scratch and crumbles in. I spent time yesterday hanging some more wind breaks and adding extra hay.

 

[LisaYolkUm]

I have 2 pairs of socks, shoes & my coat on...in the house...lol

It's already about 20 degrees warmer than it was tho so I'm good. We sleep with piles of blankets on the beds just because of this.

I feel for you!

YOu are truly a rugged or durable person! I hope your cabin and overall living situation gets warmer and easier very soon. It seems you are working very hard to manage and you are very resilient.

I think you mentioned you have a son............is he old enough to help out a bit?

I just am thinking about if I would be as resilient as you are in a similiar situation.............and I am not sure.............

 

[wingstone]

Just remember, this will return

Of course, so will lots of other things that we do not look forward to......
Just saying.....it could be worse.....I can always put more clothing on, I can only take so much off before the law says otherwise....

 

[LisaYolkUm]

For your viewing pleasure............its brief...........and chuckle worthy!

 

[OneMountainAcres]

Just remember, this will return

Of course, so will lots of other things that we do not look forward to......
Just saying.....it could be worse.....I can always put more clothing on, I can only take so much off before the law says otherwise....

lol, good point but if your like me, in the summer, you can always drench yourself with water but in the winter, there aren't enough clothes to keep me warm lol.

 

[emorems0]

I got tied up in holiday craziness and haven't been on BYC in weeks. I'm never going to catch up, so I'll just jump back in here. My chickies started laying! The RIRs anyway, I don't think the black australorps have started laying yet. We are getting about 2 eggs a day (and have 2 RIR and two BA). The first ones were so small, but had really nice shells and good form, etc. I took a few pictures but can't upload them right now.

Now that it's below freezing outside day and night, I was wondering if I need to check for eggs more often or is it okay if they freeze out there if I don't find them right away? I'm checking once a day right now.

Also, what are my options for keeping their water from freezing? I have a great waterer that I love made from a 5 gallon bucket and side-mounted poultry nipples. The waterer has a black lid and the coop has a clear roof so it did pretty well up to this point not freezing solid. This cold snap has proven frustrating though. Yesterday I had to bring it inside to thaw and replaced it with a regular water bowl in the interim. I hated that they had to dip their waddles in the water to get a drink, plus they got the water dirty within minutes. We have a aquarium heater and cut a hole in the top of the bucket for it, but then DH pointed out that it would run constantly since the water would never be able to maintain even the lowest heat setting, it wouldn't take long for it to burn out. What are our other options? could I use some type of heated stand/pad under the bucket if the bucket is plastic? Anything I can pick up easily at TSC or order on amazon?

 

[BullChick]

'Ello crazy chicken people! How have you been? Yes, I know cold. It is a shock to think of how warm it was Sunday.
I am home for a while. A month at least. I am not missing the joys of winter chicken keeping. My m-i-l did laugh at me today as I picked up some eggs at the store. Dh is too sick to drive for fresh eggs.

 

[dheltzel]

I got tied up in holiday craziness and haven't been on BYC in weeks. I'm never going to catch up, so I'll just jump back in here. My chickies started laying! The RIRs anyway, I don't think the black australorps have started laying yet. We are getting about 2 eggs a day (and have 2 RIR and two BA). The first ones were so small, but had really nice shells and good form, etc. I took a few pictures but can't upload them right now.

Now that it's below freezing outside day and night, I was wondering if I need to check for eggs more often or is it okay if they freeze out there if I don't find them right away? I'm checking once a day right now.

Also, what are my options for keeping their water from freezing? I have a great waterer that I love made from a 5 gallon bucket and side-mounted poultry nipples. The waterer has a black lid and the coop has a clear roof so it did pretty well up to this point not freezing solid. This cold snap has proven frustrating though. Yesterday I had to bring it inside to thaw and replaced it with a regular water bowl in the interim. I hated that they had to dip their waddles in the water to get a drink, plus they got the water dirty within minutes. We have a aquarium heater and cut a hole in the top of the bucket for it, but then DH pointed out that it would run constantly since the water would never be able to maintain even the lowest heat setting, it wouldn't take long for it to burn out. What are our other options? could I use some type of heated stand/pad under the bucket if the bucket is plastic? Anything I can pick up easily at TSC or order on amazon?

I use these: heated water bowls
The only problem they solve over your regular water bowls is that they keep the water liquid. They still get dirty and will get their wattles wet.

 

[SilkieSensation]

I have 2 pairs of socks, shoes

I feel for you!

YOu are truly a rugged or durable person!   I hope your cabin and overall living situation gets warmer and easier very soon.   It seems you are working very hard to manage and you are very resilient.

I think you mentioned you have a son............is he old enough to help out a bit?  

I just am thinking about if I would be as resilient as you are in a similiar situation.............and I am not sure.............

When you don't have a choice...ummm, yeah, you just deal with it. I need to pull about $500 out of my rear for insulation & things will improve greatly. (Praying for Lowes gift cards...lol)

I actually have 6 kids. The 7 & 11 yr olds live with me. My 20 yr old & his gf live in my rv outside the back door of the cabin. My 20 yr old cuts my firewood & the littles & I carry & stack it. The gf sits on her lazy rear & expects everyone to do everything for her. (She's his problem, not mine...but I can tell he's getting really tired of her crap & hopefully will toss her out soon. I'll jump for joy when he does.) My son works full time, helps pay rent & electric & helps with anything I can't do on my own. The drawback, childish gf makes a nuisance of her self & throws a tantrum anytime he helps me or takes me anywhere. I just ignore her & refuse to acknowledge she exists til she gets her head out of her rear. He has been spending a lot of time at my place here lately just to get away from her & I think it's funny...lol