Should I buy eggs or wait it out?

[okallthis4eggs]

Go ahead you idiot. Take one more step toward me and I will take your head off and treat it like a pie.

 

[chickenlindz]

Brrrr... It was kinda cold here today. Around 40 in the sun!!!lol I think we are getting the storm tomorrow.

Anyway the next warmer snap the teenagers are going in their coop cause every time I open their brooder 2 come out to investigate.

So I spent all day reinforcing the coop. My husband thinks I'm crazy.

Top and bottom locks on each set of doors

Hardware cloth over window and vents

The only thing that worries me is the pop door. Do I need to do anything? The plexi glass is pretty heavy. And once the run is up it'll be protected by the run. Could a raccoon somehow lift it?

 

[okallthis4eggs]

Brrrr... It was kinda cold here today. Around 40 in the sun!!!lol I think we are getting the storm tomorrow.

Anyway the next warmer snap the teenagers are going in their coop cause every time I open their brooder 2 come out to investigate.

So I spent all day reinforcing the coop. My husband thinks I'm crazy.

Top and bottom locks on each set of doors

Hardware cloth over window and vents

The only thing that worries me is the pop door. Do I need to do anything? The plexi glass is pretty heavy. And once the run is up it'll be protected by the run. Could a raccoon somehow lift it?

Coons are smart animals. A simple latch on that door wouldn't be too much trouble and then you know for sure nothing is going to get in. Nice setup. I like it

 

[okallthis4eggs]

Brrrr... It was kinda cold here today. Around 40 in the sun!!!lol I think we are getting the storm tomorrow.

Anyway the next warmer snap the teenagers are going in their coop cause every time I open their brooder 2 come out to investigate.

So I spent all day reinforcing the coop. My husband thinks I'm crazy.

Top and bottom locks on each set of doors

Hardware cloth over window and vents

The only thing that worries me is the pop door. Do I need to do anything? The plexi glass is pretty heavy. And once the run is up it'll be protected by the run. Could a raccoon somehow lift it?

Coons are smart animals. A simple latch on that door wouldn't be too much trouble and then you know for sure nothing is going to get in. Nice setup. I like it

I had a cat door on my garage with the little swinging flap that closes up the hole when the animal passes thru it and coons learned how to use it and would get into my garage and steal cat food. So they might figure it out. Not worth the risk to me. Better safe than sorry.

 

[cheeka]

the storm only left me an inch or so... and the heavy layer of deep litter actually kept the water from freezing in all 3 areas. I doled out a few pounds of corn to each group for a late afternoon snack, that should keep them toasty for the overnight... it's supposed to be a smidge milder tomorrow, but still below freezing. they all think they want to come out, until I say okay... come on... and then they touch the snow and leap up, try to fly, which is very funny and then they hang around near the garage until I lure them back with a treat. several won't even bother coming out. I have a couple of bags of soil and one 50 lb bag of play sand that I was considering dumping into Mylee's kiddie pool for a dirt bath... think I may do it tomorrow, and put it in the dome. I'll find something to use for the 2 other areas, I do have some 2' trays that are about 5" deep... I might have 4 of those, which would give me 2 for each of the other pens. they do dig down and create baths, the store bought coop main floor is basically a bath... and the Fosters have made a few, but it's got to be fairly cold. the Group of Seven plus Royce haven't done a whole lot of scratching around, their ground is just a layer of litter, it's warm, but they are clearly not bathing. bc I use straw in there, I don't want them to get lice, which can live in the hollow of the straw...

0 Eggs from the dome today, and 2 from the Fosters.

 

[okallthis4eggs]

Great.........it's snowing again

 

[Whoops]

Awwwww, poor Roger. Spring will come, eventually.

 

[BullChick]

Awwwww, poor Roger. Spring will come, eventually.

Spring may come, but the stupid snow will still be here!

I don't really hate the snow. It makes things interesting, but I can handle it most of the time. Doors freezing shut is an issue. I may break the coop door before the month is out. Not to mention the ropes for the pop doors! Anyone have a suggestion for thawing ropes?

 

[Whoops]

Spring may come, but the stupid snow will still be here!

I don't really hate the snow. It makes things interesting, but I can handle it most of the time. Doors freezing shut is an issue. I may break the coop door before the month is out. Not to mention the ropes for the pop doors! Anyone have a suggestion for thawing ropes?

Use picture wire instead of rope? Or a light chain? It wouldn't absorb the moisture and could take more abuse than a rope without rotting and fraying.

 

[okallthis4eggs]

Awwwww, poor [COLOR=FF0000]Roger[/COLOR].  Spring will come, eventually. 

Looks like a long cold winter so far.