Show off your Delawares! *PIC HEAVY*

[joletabey]

Scott, you know what? You are right! I needed that kick in the butt! They go out tomorrow as long as I know the leak is fixed!

However, if they freeze, I am mailing the bodies to you.

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

Quote:
PLEASE, PLEASE....no guilt complex here

I'm betting if they have a coop attached to any type of run that they will be VERY, VERY happy. My babies are like the rest of the knuckle-heads out there....they play in the rain, even when its cold. And I worry about them getting cold??!! We are supposed to have 50s here tomorrow and 60s Thursday. Maybe your weather might be close to the same and it will be an easier temp transition for them

 

[Cetawin]

Ba Yard Full Of It....my babies are 20 weeks old, living in the (uninsulated) garage with music, heat lamps nearby and baked goodies. They would revolt and plot my death if they were out in the cold.

 

[JoAnn_WI_4-H_Mom]

Gee, I thought it was the carbohydrates in the corn that would help them stay warm. Well, since the corn was freely gleaned from surrounding fields, that's still what they are going to get.

The roost hut is a hoop house (6' tall, 6' long, 6' wide). It is enclosed on all but one side, but that open side started wide open for ventilation. The hut is inside a large fully enclosed but uninsulated pole shed. They have great protection from the wind and no drafts if they are in the hut. A larger portion of the pole shed is fenced off and the birds freely roam enough space. They can choose to be in the hut or out. They currently cannot go outside the shed, as there are several feet of snow anyway.

We have been progressively throwing layers of (very) old quilts and blankets over the hut and fastening used feed sacks over the top of that. The feed sacks allow me to scrape poop, as the birds do like to go up there. We are also progressively reducing the amount of open space on the unenclosed endof the hut, trying to keep the heat in but still allow enough ventilation.

The heat lamps and nest boxes are inside the roost hut. The nest boxes have pet bed warmers.

Essentially we started too late adding insulation and closing the front of the hut. We simply have too large a space inside the shed for the number of birds we have to keep it warm unless they are staying in the hut.

When creating these winter quarters, we thought the birds would be in the hut more often when the weather was cold. They do not do this. They run around all over their allotted space. This disperses their body heat to a much larger area that is uninsulated. When they notice they are cold, they hudle in coldest corners of their allotted space, most do not seem to think to go back in the hut to warm up (some do, most don't). If they would all go back in the hut, they could be warmer together. Some refuse to roost in the hut at night, perfering the top of the hut.

They do not seem to mind that the roosters are frost bit, but I do. Some of the larger combed hens will also lose a point or two.

I do not remember having this much trouble as a young person, and they set up was not significantly different.

So yes, I agree with the general consensus, I should not get anymore large combed birds until we figure out different winter quarters. Too bad for me.

I love that look.

I guess that still leaves me many wonderful breeds. Just no Delawares. At least I know while I only have 2.

 

[joletabey]

I am going to play some Respighi VERY loudly, so that mine won't hear Fattie brag about that when I put them out tomorrow, Cetawin! You KNOW she'll tell Buckshot all about it.
And they have a HUGE run, Scott - it is at least 750 square feet, might be more- I can't remember exactly how big it is- which I hope they will love very much. It's big enough to section off at least 200 s.f. for Ultrasuede when his soon to be harem grows up enough to have their own palace. Listen to me - they aren't even hatched yet.

Joanne, it sounds like they don't care about the weather- little stinkers! You have a great set up- lots of space, wow!

 

[Cetawin]

Quote:

too late...they were on the phone early this morning. hahahahaha

 

[joletabey]

Now I am afraid to go home!!!!!

 

[kathyinmo]

My (angelic) 11 - 12 (?) week old Delawares are totally happy outside. It is about 20 at night now, and only 40 today. They rarely go under the heat light (like the other big babies from that hatch do). Instead, they are out snooping around and checking everything out! Quite curious, they are!

 

[joletabey]

Kathy and Scott
Keep talking to me, I am getting more and more up for this move. . . . . . .
Cetawin,
If I sent Fattie some lasagna, would she call Buckshot and take it all back????

 

[Cetawin]

hmmmm she might but it is doubtful. She is a troublemaker...mouthy...nippy...and into everything! It is picture time....the babies are 20 weeks old today and they are getting a day in the garden....so naturally the camera came out....BTW Beth like me new signature line? hahahaha


So...This is that silly girl Cannonball whom we think is a Phoebe baby....it is hard to fill waterers and feeders when she is around. When you bend over she is on your back when you stand up...she climbs up your back onto your shoulder and then it time to play her favorite game "Catch the Cannonball to get her off you" ...

Happy as can be isn't she?

The troublemaker herself...Fattie trying to eat my shoe

Contemplating attacking the camera strap

Thinking my jacket might be tasty

Of course Picture of Suede babies

Thor checking out the camera (He is really much wider but he was so close he looks skinny

)

Athena being Athena...standing off all alone too dignified to come for rubs or treats....oh no Thor will bring treats to her... she needs no human

My boy Sirius who needs a new home....I am really trying to figure out who is mama is..for an EE is legs are bright yellow!

Severus in his warning pose that says "Draco, keep it up and I will jump all over you!"

No pics of Draco and Penelope this morning...they were at the other end of the garden. Penelope is really awesome looking. She looks like a SLW with a beard. Even her black fuzzy butt looks like her mama's. Too cute. Oh and she is narrow bodied like the EEs.