Southern NY, Dutchess county and below

[ChickenAl]

I just checked the weather report here and it's 8-12 inches of wet heavy snow.

Our snowblower is buried in the garage behind our son's project car, which is a VW Beetle, and the body is suspended from the ceiling. Guess it's shovel time...

 

[newchick13]

Just saw the latest weather.....

What the heck? I put a red heat lamp out for the girls but I have been checking neurotically to see if it is on fire yet! I don't know if my nerves can take the winter! I spent the whole afternoon weatherstripping the windows and doors and adding the brooder lamp but now I am afraid the thing will burn down!

I bought one of those electric snow shovels for my hubby for christmas, but i think I'll have to ruin the surprise tomorrow!

 

[ChickenAl]

Quote:
Sickening isn't it? I have no idea where this one came from. Last I heard it was one to two inches. After seeing Suzanne's post I had to check. This is October for crying out loud!

What's gonna happen in January?

California, here I come!

 

[smkchick]

Quote:
I know the feeling. We need a better set-up for the red bulb. With my going back to work, we didn't have time to get anything ready so it's a little makeshift right now. I'd say we'll take care of it tomorrow but the weather won't cooperate and I have to go out in the afternoon for a Will signing.

Bobby got started digging the trench for the underground wiring out to the coop but, being a former civil servant, only worked a couple of hours. (He hates when I say that!) I make a good salary as a teacher, but when you break it down over the hours of work I do in and out of the classroom, I'd make more per hour at Mickey D's.

I sat and looked at the paperwork tonight. Managed to write the kids' names in my grade book, but that's as far as I got. I don't know where to start. Maybe in the morning. I put freshly laundered/bleached white sheets on the bed and they're calling me!

 

[ChickenAl]

You guys are getting me paranoid about getting the electric to the coop. It is going to freak me out worrying about leaving a light on in there, much less a heater for the waterer. I don't get it. We have electricity in the house and don't give it a second though, but juice in the coop makes us crazy. What is that all about?

 

[ChickenAl]

Look at this. I go to the forum to see what's up, and the first thread I see is this. https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=590724

Now tell me I am not going to get paranoid now!

 

[smkchick]

Quote:
Al, I don't know about you, but I don't have pine shavings on the floor in my house (okay, maybe a few), or feathers either for that matter. Also, I have a brain that's somewhat larger than a pea. I rarely peck wires or knock over lamps (not this week anyway).

 

[smkchick]

Actually, I read a post about a guy who made a heater for the waterer by putting a light bulb into a cinder block and laying a paving stone on top. I like that idea a lot. Surrounding the bulb in concrete almost completely eliminates the fire risk, and the risk of hot chicken feet. I think it would throw enough heat to take the chill off the coop at night, but not enough to make the chickies heat dependent. As far as the water goes, what if you put hot water in at night before bed? By morning it would be cool, but not frozen. Seems like a simple enough solution. Unless it's Minnesota or something.

What about a smoke detector in the coop? Little chicken fire hats?

 

[smkchick]

Reminds me of my all-time favorite joke:

Why do ducks have flat feet?

To stamp out forest fires.

Why do elephants have flat feet?

Wait for it...

Wait for it...

To stamp out burning ducks!

 

[ChickenAl]