The Middle Tennessee Thread

[Mehjr10]

So, I made several drinkers for my pens with the chicken water nipples...I took bottles laying around and installed the nipple in the cap, if it was a bigger bottle or jug, I put two... Well I noticed it was not flowing out of the pins when pushed like they should be... If I pressed on the side of the bottle, even a little bit, a nice stream of water came out when pushed... One of my bigger jugs, has two nipples on the bottom of the jug and the cap on top. well, I couldnt get the water to come out right, then I decided to try something and I opened the top slightly so air could go in, and WALA, a nice stream came out..

The only ones that seemed to take interest to them was the Chocolates, but after no water came out, they ignored it, I havent been out yet since I fixed the issue.

But I had found 40 nipples for 10 bucks on ebay.. sweet deal

You found the answer they have to have an air hole at the top of the bottle when hanging, if not you will eventually form a vac cum and no water will come out.

 

[DMRippy]

Yeah got to have air. You did get a really good deal on those too.

 

[DMRippy]

Today was "GET READY FOR THE DEEP FREEZE" One of the nipples that had been frozen out front had POPPED out and was flooding the pen... dang it. I sealed it with some Goop. We are NOT going to use the waterers after tomorrow anyway. It is really hard to thaw those.

We wrapped plastic around the front pens all the way around just to keep the wind off of them when it hits SUB ZERO. We filled up ALL the feeders so I don't have to worry about working too much on Monday. I guess the eggs will be a bust on Monday too.... maybe I can salvage some but I doubt it. the ones from the shop will be ok.

Since all my water barrels frozen was a warning... We emptied one 55 Gallon barrel MOVED it inside.... filled it back up and emptied the other 55 Gallon barrel and kept those in buckets inside the shop. I am going to need water for EVERYONE now for 3-4 days. I think Monday it is going to freeze as soon as I put it out side. Not sure how to work around that. I might have to use warm water from the tap outside. Might have to do it a couple of times that day too.

I am a little nervous about this cold snap..... not really the birds but the water is worrying me.

 

[DMRippy]

I want to put a HEADS UP out there. GET A FLU SHOT!!!!!

My husbands niece's SIL just died in Nashville of the H1N1 Swine flu. She was healthy and just 47 years old. She was in ICU for over 15 days before she died Thursday. Really sad.... if you have the FLU go to the DR. If you don't get a shot. I am.... I have only ever had 3 flu shots. 2 when I was pregnant and one after just because I had little guys in the house. The boys will be getting theirs Friday next week.

NOT WORTH DIEING FROM A PREVENTABLE FLU! H1N1 is in the shot this year.

 

[Oramman87]

Packed my two coops with straw gonna run the extension cords out for my big coop and hang up the heat lamp for them tomorrow morning. My only worry is I have about 8 chickens and one turkey that free roam and just sleep on top of my big run every night. So I am gonna try and catch them tomorrow morning and lock them up with all my big egg layers in the big coop. I don't know if my turkey can get in the coop. Back story the turkey was my neighbors and he didn't take care of them well they all got loose and one hen just became mine. She has always just hung out but this crazy cold has got me nervouse with all my birds.

 

[memphis]

Donna...sorry about your husband's niece. The flu is bad this year. Raining like crazy in Memphis. And it's thundering. Temps are falling quickly. It's a mess.

 

[DMRippy]

Donna...sorry about your husband's niece. The flu is bad this year. Raining like crazy in Memphis. And it's thundering. Temps are falling quickly. It's a mess.

It was her sister in law that died.

I better get moving then. I figured as soon as the rain got her it would start to FALL RAPIDLY!!!!! I have a feeling I will not be able to get out tomorrow either. The rain is going to freeze and then I will be STUCK.

 

[DaddyBird]

I think it would be great to get together and meet some of you folks. My wife and I attended the last Backyard Chickens Nashville Meet Up event and really enjoyed it. We have been dealingwith the cold with a single heated waterer. I guess we are very thankful we only have the one pen and not the hundreds some of you are caring for.

Donna, sorry to hear about your sister in law. That flu is vicious. My wife got it, went to the docand the test came back negative so they wouldn't treat it but rather told her to "let it run it's course. She is now being treated for pneumonia as a result.

We also got our first blue egg from our Ameraucana and our little Silkie also started laying. I accidentally threw some of the others into a moult by closing the window to the coop when it got cold. Apparently, the security light in the alley was enough to keep them from it before. I put a plastic window shield over the window now to prevent the draft but allow the light. Hopefully they will start laying again soon.

 

[MayDayMel]

Hello everyone! Long time, no see. I appreciate everyone's kind words for my daughter. I haven't been on as I've been caring for her and going through medical training. It's been a rough go, and we're still spending a lot of time at the hospital. She's balancing out tho, and if we could get her over this pneumonia I'm sure she'd feel much better. We lost our large hen that was hers, the Delaware. Brooke had a seizure while holding her and fell on her. She died overnight despite our best efforts.

We sold a few of our birds since we didn't have the time for 2 flocks. I'm down to 3 barred rocks, 2 RIR, and 2 of Donnas cuckoo Marans we hatched out. They're hilarious. I'll try to update with a few pics

[/IMG]

 

[MayDayMel]

the pic above here was our first egg from Salt (or Pepper) our Marans from Donna. Then this pic is of Brooke with her new fave hen.