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barbiegirl said:
I don't want to loose any chicks with all this cold weather. I would be so upset if one dies from the cold. Last year when it was -30 degrees I lost a silkie that was a few months old that froze to death. I can't see how little new borns would survive. No chicks in the house for us this winter. The dust is too much and my asthma has been acting up this year. I really don't want to cave in and let her hatch some eggs. She is so tiny don't know how she will keep them warm.
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My broody hatched 4 on Christams day. Two (I think) got separated and died. So I did bring the other two chicks and Mama in the house. Another week or two and they should be feathered enough to go outside. :D


fisherlady said:
X2!!   I don't mind the bright white of a snow covered winter landscape, I'm not a fan of freezing temps but can handle it.... but I really hate the muddy in between periods.  My ideal would be for it to just get cold for 12-15 weeks then go green with none of that muddy mess in between!
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Agreed. If it's going to be really cold, we should at least get a nice snowstorm.
 
Auroradream26 said:
Ok, technically, the plan isn't too go "off grid" but to stay connected to the grid but generate enough power for ourselves. When the battery bank is full, all overflow would go back into the grid and the power company would pay us for power generated. Then we also have a backup if ours doesn't generate enough :) (also planning a couple small wind turbines too)
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By working some calculations, I figure I usr about about 16 kWh, a day average looking at electric bill).

Assuming for hours of uswatts/ panel ==able sunlight a day, I need to generate 4k watts/ hour. @ 100watts/ panel, that's 40 panels @$100 each ( minimum). Figure in about 20 batteries for storage, then increase everything for extra storage for days with no sun.
The economics aren't there, but I still have a goal to work toward.

Looked at the small wind generators, and most don't do much of anything but look pretty. Really not enough wind here to do much. Need 12-20 mph wind to really generate much. If you do wind, however, there is a thing called dump load to keep them from overspinning, this excess electricity is easily captured by a resistance load, I.e. a water heater element.

Yeah, I've been researching a lot. Part of why I want on much.
 
Does anyone know yet what they will have available this spring in chicks and hatching eggs? My girls down sized their 4-h flock in the late fall and decided only to keep their LF cochins in BBS and their English Orps in BBS through the winter. They will be looking for a couple new breeds to raise for showing in the fall.
 
Auroradream26 said:
Ok, technically, the plan isn't too go "off grid" but to stay connected to the grid but generate enough power for ourselves. When the battery bank is full, all overflow would go back into the grid and the power company would pay us for power generated. Then we also have a backup if ours doesn't generate enough
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(also planning a couple small wind turbines too)
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..this is what we would LOVE to do...but it takes $$ to get started, of which I am in short supply..
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..so, the idea is there, whenever the wallet catches up.
Good luck, please keep posted on your progress! Nothing like learning from others
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troyer said:
The surface that they are stting on moves back and forth and kinda rolls them. It is certainly not the best incubator a person can wish for. I will say it's not worth the amount of money I paid for it. The stacked ones don't roll very well, with them being lighter colored eggs I candle them on day three and usually have enough infertile ones to make only one layer for full term incubation. For the amount of money spent, I would have been better off getting the GQF 1502.

This hen was selectively bred for longevity. She was not free ranged for the last three years, but was kept in a pen unless I was able to keep an eye on her ALL the time she was out of her pen.

I miss the warm weather too. Especially with not being able to sit outside and watch the flocks. I prefer either COLD weather or else warm weather, not the sloppy muddy in between temperatures. I like for the ground to stay frozen solid or completely thawed.
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totally agree with the freeze or be grass, not a sloppy-muddy mess...
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...I have kept some leaves back just for that really messy time, that run is super fun when things thaw
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kalbach8 said:
Does anyone know yet what they will have available this spring in chicks and hatching eggs? My girls down sized their 4-h flock in the late fall and decided only to keep their LF cochins in BBS and their English Orps in BBS through the winter. They will be looking for a couple new breeds to raise for showing in the fall.
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I've got my ad up here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/942236/chicks-in-south-east-pennsylvania

What are you looking for ? The main "show quality" breeds I have are New Hampshires and BBS Ameracaunas. But I know people (relatives mostly) with a lot of other breeds of show quality birds and most are VERY interested in helping 4-H'ers (all of us country bumpkins in my family grew up in 4-H and FFA).

If you are wanting to show in the fall, you should be looking to but chicks very soon, to get them large enough to show well.

What part of PA are you located in?
 

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