Pennsylvania!! Unite!!

[Free Feather]

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

I do not like the sound of this girlfriend. I cannot deal with people like that.

 

[SilkieSensation]

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

Silkie:

Hope things settle down for you....and you get to focus on what's important....my wood stove can't keep up with the cold and it makes me worry about you....(as I have oil to supplement)...geez...you are leading a tough life....

As long as I manage to get wood dry enough to burn we are ok...unless I sleep through the alarm to wake my butt up to check the stove. My cabin is only 12x32 so would heat easily with just the stove if the insulation was in. I do have a small electric heater in the kitchen under the kids' loft to keep my pressure tank & hoses from freezing. The kids stay much warmer than I do since heat rises. I'm fishing out the extra blankets tonight. We each have 3-6 already and I have another 2-3 each stashed. We're good. The kids also both have coveralls they can sleep in if they get too cold.

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

I do not like the sound of this girlfriend. I cannot deal with people like that.

Me either. Can't count the number of times I've had to stop myself from pounding her ugly obnoxious face in...but I don't have bail money or anyone to stay with the littles or it would be SOOOO worth it.

 

[chiques chicks]

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?

My neighbor has a similar setup in his coop. He suspends a heat lamp over the bucket.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

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 also have a 5 gallon bucket for water but I have the poultry Nipples mounted on the bottom of it. We use this laid across the bottom of the bucket on a thin piece of rock. It usually does really well keeping everything thawed enough for them to drink but today it was a bit too cold and I still had to take water out for them. Most times though, it works very well. It would probably work better if it was actually in the coop where is probably slightly warmer but it's suspended out in the run.
http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/farm-innovators-multi-use-utility-deicer-250-watt?cm_vc=-10005

 

[chiques chicks]

For what it is worth: I have my rabbits in an unheated shed. They use nipples similar to those used for chickens, except brass and spring loaded. I have a 16 gallon heated tub from tsc ($70) I put a circulating pump in it to circulate the water through the PVC pipe the nipples are in. There is about 60 feet of pipe. It seems to be working. I like I just dump water in the tub and don't have to fill bottles for 16 cages and try to keep them thawed. The tub is plugged into a thermocube.

I suppose something similar could be done with a chicken water system.

 

[Gramma Chick]

I Love my heated dog dish for water
I raise it up by putting it in a large pot ..the pot is weighted inside with stones.
This is last years ..I had to buy a new one this year .it is bigger it sets right on top of my pot .
They still get it dirty but not as bad as when it was on the floor .


This is my food dish folder I will probably make a single one in the summer..I really need 3 with 24 chickens

 

[cglessner]

Today I got two eggs... Very unsual because my chickens haven't laid all winter and they laid two eggs on a clowdy day, and early January the daylights not increasing. They're going into year three and I don't remember any of them laying this early...

why were they horrible? Ive been thinking about getting goats but I dont know anyone who has them.

 

[Blarneyeggs]

Today I got two eggs... Very unsual because my chickens haven't laid all winter and they laid two eggs on a clowdy day, and early January the daylights not increasing. They're going into year three and I don't remember any of them laying this early...

why were they horrible? Ive been thinking about getting goats but I dont know anyone who has them.

I've got goats, they can be horrible, they can also be amazing. They are very active as far as pasture animals go and that can be a problem when you are struggling to keep them enclosed. They also provide endless humor and entertainment because of their activity.

So, if perhaps you live in a household with a few too many personalities, schedules, opinions and NOISE, and you need a quiet activity to keep you amused and bring down your blood pressure, observing goats interacting is just the thing for you. Plus, they're awesome. Just sayin.

 

[Blarneyeggs]

For what it is worth: I have my rabbits in an unheated shed. They use nipples similar to those used for chickens, except brass and spring loaded. I have a 16 gallon heated tub from tsc ($70) I put a circulating pump in it to circulate the water through the PVC pipe the nipples are in. There is about 60 feet of pipe. It seems to be working. I like I just dump water in the tub and don't have to fill bottles for 16 cages and try to keep them thawed. The tub is plugged into a thermocube.

I suppose something similar could be done with a chicken water system.

This is a great idea. I want something similar in my breeder pens if I ever get them up and running. DH says we can either insulate the pipe or run 'heat tape'? along it to keep the pipe from freezing. The pens are a bit far from the house, I'm not sure how I'm going to get electric out there.

How are you making out with your new schedule? I can't imagine having to adjust my sleep patterns like that.

 

[Blarneyeggs]

Time to make the first water run of the day. The goats only at this point- they like their water warm, the spoiled divas. I'm going to wait until 9am before opening the coops and bringing water to the chickens. We don't keep their water heated, so I'll be back out there at noon.


I can't wait to see all the poultry at Farm Show. We'll be there for Poultry Showmanship on Saturday, and perhaps dairy goat showmanship on Thursday.

Have a great day Everyone, and keep warm!