Should I buy eggs or wait it out?

[JW12]

Sorry mortie! I'm proud of your one

 

[mortie]

I guess at least she lays in time for breakfast. Even at the end of her 6 day run last week, she was still laying before 8. This one was collected at 7 and it was stone cold.

Speaking of stone cold...I SO can't wait til my eggs freeze solid and are of no use whatsoever to me because they cracked in the process. Sounds like SUCH fun.

 

[chickenlindz]

Phionex I suggest posting and reading the incubator threads. I know it depends on the type of incubator.

Well my baby chicks arrived already which is great cause the nephew was here to go w me to the PO to pick them up which he got a kick out of. Tho I was hoping it'd be later in the day cause I don't want to move squirt over til it's dark. We'll see how that goes.

Uggh we had our first negative of me having squirt stay in the coop for her "fake" brood! Someone pooped all over her. I had to give her a bath it was so gross and I'm still smelling poop wherever I go.

 

[mortie]

Ewwwww.....I wonder about that when I see people with "stadium style" roost setups. How do birds not get pooped on? If I had multiple roosts, I have them the same level or if one had to be lower, it was far enough away to ensure no poopage. Poor squirt. Poor Lindz! Guh-ross. One of my ameracauna roos was a dirty little bird and always seemed to have some poop on him somewhere. I was not sad when he went away.

 

[JW12]

Mortie will it get that cold.... I mean I know it's cold where you are but dang.... I hadn't even thought about that

 

[mortie]

Last winter, we had something like 60 days with temps below zero. That's below ZERO, people, not below freezing. Kids don't go outside for recess if it's below zero and they had to stay inside for weeks and weeks. We had several days of school cancelled because it was SO cold, the busses would not start. One day someone came to the door and when I opened it, you could see the air coming out of the house -like when you can see your breath but I've never seen that coming out of the house before. It was so cold, exposed skin could get frostbite in minutes.

It was super fun.

 

[mortie]

Oh - one day it was like 20 degrees and it felt WARM. I forgot about that one. I thought it must be at least above freezing. Nope, it's just above zero. We had days that were -50*

I didn't have chickens last winter but I know people who did and theirs did ok. That was record breaking cold even for us so I am hoping since this summer hasn't been very extreme, this winter won't be either. Oh it'll still be cold. I'm just hoping for...you know...like 10 days below zero.

 

[JW12]

The farmers almanac is saying this winter and fall will be about like last year. If that is the case I have to figure out how to set up a heat lamp in the coop and not burn everything down. I think the ducks will be ok but I worry about the chickens

 

[mortie]

I will not be providing a heat source. I would worry that it would go out and leave my chickens out in the cold without being acclimated to it and that is more dangerous for them than letting them get used to the gradual change in temperature. My coop is smallish and I designed the ventilation to be well above their heads so it shouldn't be drafty. My main concern is keeping the water from freezing.

 

[BullChick]

72 and nice here.

Maybe you need this?

Love it!

They won't go in the pen without a bribe, unless it's dusk or it's starting to rain. They will all come running in for scrambled eggs. Other things, my stubborn EE may or may not come in for - she's either really stupid or really smart, I haven't figured it out.

The thing is, I can only stand to be out there for may one hour at a time because of the mosquitoes. So, yeah, they usually aren't ready to come back.

A dryer sheet tucked into your pocket will keep the mosquitos (and bees. IDK about other bugs) away.

This is for you MotorcycleChick. My favorite coffee cup. Ahhhhhh.... coffee

Lindz that made me think....what will I do on vacation? Will I check in? I won't have anything to add since I won't be in contact with my girls. That'll be weird...

They will all begin laying!