Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[emorems0]

So, it's supposed to get down to 29-30 degrees overnight this weekend and I haven't 'winterized' my coop yet. I planned to make some panels from that Smart Side siding and hang them over the pallet walls to seal up the sides. I was hoping to be able to put that off for a few weeks yet since we don't really have the budget for it (especially with the meat rabbits coming. That is too cold to leave the sides open though, right? Would it be good enough for now to just wrap the sides with tarps?



And I should cover this big screen window for winter too, right? *The angular sections at the top of the long walls will be boarded up with extra pallet boards by this weekend. The plan for winter ventilation is the gaps under the roof/framing and a regular house window (on the side with the nest boxes, not shown in these pictures) that can be opened or closed as needed, does that seem appropriate? This is our first winter with the chickens and I want to make sure they'll be okay!



In other news, I should have bunny pictures to share tomorrow!

 

[barbiegirl]

There isn't much I can do to help... but I am so sorry this happened!

I do hope the trap works and you catch the culprit.

We locked the coop last night and everyone was ok during the night. The trap was empty this morning. Still didn't see any footprints.

So, it's supposed to get down to 29-30 degrees overnight this weekend and I haven't 'winterized' my coop yet. I planned to make some panels from that Smart Side siding and hang them over the pallet walls to seal up the sides. I was hoping to be able to put that off for a few weeks yet since we don't really have the budget for it (especially with the meat rabbits coming. That is too cold to leave the sides open though, right? Would it be good enough for now to just wrap the sides with tarps?



And I should cover this big screen window for winter too, right? *The angular sections at the top of the long walls will be boarded up with extra pallet boards by this weekend. The plan for winter ventilation is the gaps under the roof/framing and a regular house window (on the side with the nest boxes, not shown in these pictures) that can be opened or closed as needed, does that seem appropriate? This is our first winter with the chickens and I want to make sure they'll be okay!



In other news, I should have bunny pictures to share tomorrow!

I would put up traps if you couldn't do anything else. By me it will be lower than freezing at nights. Burr.

 

[wingstone]

 

[fisherlady]

. beautiful picture. As much as I hate knowing it is a harbinger of things to come I do love the colors of harvest time!

 

[LittleMissPurdy]

nice pic..although, i do know where you were coming from & going with this..hahhahaha....spring is only what?..6-7 months away?! ....

We locked the coop last night and everyone was ok during the night. The trap was empty this morning. Still didn't see any footprints.

I would put up traps if you couldn't do anything else. By me it will be lower than freezing at nights. Burr.

x'2 on that..the tarps should help a lot...your ventilation set-up sound good. We are going to be hit hard this weekend also...20's for lows, does it even matter talking about the "highs"..

Barbie, i hope whatever has gotten to your birds is either caught soo or gone away, although i understand it generally doesn't happen that way....
We have been so fortunate, (now i know i have jinxed us

), anyway...the motion sensor light has been worth it's weight in gold..seriously...as soon as something even thinks about getting near their area..BAM..light goes on and scares the crap out of what was there. Most of the time we don't even get a chance to see what it was, it goes away so fast, but on occasion, we catch a glimpse...cats are the biggest nose-baggers...raccoon, dogs....I feel a little better now that they are behind a much bigger door.

 

[emorems0]

And... we now have a pair of bunnies!

 

[wingstone]

Bbbrrrrrrrrrrr, what a change to the weather..
Spent most of the day outside and my bones are feeling it.
Birds do not seem to mind the weather yet, it is funny to watch them trying to run into the wind..
Quail pen was emptied today, decided not to overwinter them and just start fresh in the spring, unless a good deal would come along.
2 extra drakes got done today also.
Downsizing everything for winter except me..

 

[AnneInTheBurbs]

And... we now have a pair of bunnies!

Congrats! And your daughter looks so excited. Will these be for meat or company?

Bbbrrrrrrrrrrr, what a change to the weather.. Spent most of the day outside and my bones are feeling it. Birds do not seem to mind the weather yet, it is funny to watch them trying to run into the wind.. Quail pen was emptied today, decided not to overwinter them and just start fresh in the spring, unless a good deal would come along. 2 extra drakes got done today also. Downsizing everything for winter except me..

It is nippy out... Did you process all the quail? Your little cochin girl is quite comfortable now, especially since the new girls came. The newer black Silkie mix (Malificent) tries to roost on the porch every night, which means she sits on the handlebars of our bikes . And little Oddball sits right next to her. So every night I keep putting them in the coop. I am trying to do it when it is still a little light out, so hopefully they are getting the idea.... The silkies are trying to stay on the porch every night. I don't think they know the coop exists. Still working on a plan for that one....

 

[BullChick]

Soooo wrong! LOL!

 

[emorems0]

Congrats! And your daughter looks so excited. Will these be for meat or company?

The girls are SO excited... all they want to do is feed them veggies and hay all day long. These ones are for company, but any babies they have will be 'farm rabbits' ie meat rabbits. They are American breed and are supposed to be good for meat and fur. Going to breed them in the spring (born in August, so can breed them in February) as a trial to see if we like it.

DH helped me hang some tarps around the chicken coop tonight but I'm planning to fix them tomorrow since he doesn't listen to me so they are not very tight or secure, lol. Just realized that I should have brought in the last of my peppers and tomatoes, I hope they are close enough to the house to get some shelter/insulation from the freeze... my garden yields were so bad this year I'd hate to lose what I have left out there!