The Middle Tennessee Thread

[DMRippy]

Hey all, I STILL have quite a few Silkie chicks for sale. Older and younger chicks. Lots of blues and maybe a couple of blacks. I've hatched so much this year, I can't really remember what I've got

If you were closer I would buy some. I just can't drive that far to get chicks.

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

Hi everyone!
I just wanted to come on here and join the rest of ya'll middle Tennesseeans.  Now that I am home full time, my husbnad and I started raising chickens this year.  We bought a few different breed of chicks from our local TSC back at the end of February, and we are thoroughly enjoying our chickens.  Not only the eggs, but more so the interaction we have with them. 
At the moment I am trying to figure out what to do for this winter with the waterers.  Does anyone have any suggestions or recommendations for how to keep the water from freezing?  I hope everyone is having a great day!

I have found that the black rubbery bowls at TSC work well in the winter. They don't crack like plastic and the are flexible enough to allow you to kick the ice out in the mornings. Plus the black absorbs sunlight and keeps the bowls from freezing as fast. They are super easy to clean.

 

[BrandyJK]

For anyone that ships birds/chicks in middle TN--Do you have a drop off post office that you work with regularly that knows the drill and doesn't give you a funny look when you bring in a box of birds? I've read the guidelines/approved shipping boxes, etc. I just think half of them are clueless.

 

[DMRippy]

For anyone that ships birds/chicks in middle TN--Do you have a drop off post office that you work with regularly that knows the drill and doesn't give you a funny look when you bring in a box of birds? I've read the guidelines/approved shipping boxes, etc. I just think half of them are clueless.

I have not shipped many in Nashville most in Ashland City but the Inglewood Post office was the one I used. I got chicks several times there.

 

[Cinny]

 

[elorraine52]

Hi everyone!
I just wanted to come on here and join the rest of ya'll middle Tennesseeans. Now that I am home full time, my husbnad and I started raising chickens this year. We bought a few different breed of chicks from our local TSC back at the end of February, and we are thoroughly enjoying our chickens. Not only the eggs, but more so the interaction we have with them.
At the moment I am trying to figure out what to do for this winter with the waterers. Does anyone have any suggestions or recommendations for how to keep the water from freezing? erI hope everyone is having a great day!

I use the black rubber bowls from TSC and they do not get damaged from freezing, I just dump the ice out in the mornings and refill with fresh (warm) water on cold days. Sometimes you have to bang them pretty hard to get the ice out tho....and I have a water warmer (electric) I can place a water bowl on if its really really cold out.

 

[RedRidge]

Hi everyone!
I just wanted to come on here and join the rest of ya'll middle Tennesseeans.  Now that I am home full time, my husbnad and I started raising chickens this year.  We bought a few different breed of chicks from our local TSC back at the end of February, and we are thoroughly enjoying our chickens.  Not only the eggs, but more so the interaction we have with them. 
At the moment I am trying to figure out what to do for this winter with the waterers.  Does anyone have any suggestions or recommendations for how to keep the water from freezing?  I hope everyone is having a great day!

Welcome to the wonderful world of poultry.
For always thawed water we use a stock tank deicer in each 2 or 5 gallon bucket. Each bucket has 3-4 poultry nipples in the bottom and the stock tank deicers we use have thermostats in them to shut them off and turn them back on automatically when temps are plenty above freezing. Consequently you don't need a thermocube for this type of setup. This makes them efficient energy wise since they automatically shut off when not in use. The other advantage is that it is safe - no heat lamps or light bulbs to deal with. And they are cool enough for plastic buckets as they only keep the water just warm enough to prevent freezing.
I'll attach a pic of the ones we use.

 

[LauraRW]

Question for anybody!! I bought this bird in June, was told it was approx 20 weeks old at the time and should begin laying in the next 2 months. It's now October, no eggs, and just yesterday started crowing! I have read that some hens can crow but due to the fact that I also have no eggs I'm wondering if I've mistaken this one for a rooster! Can anybody tell from the picture what it is? I'm new to chickens and am not the best at telling them apart

If it is a rooster he will have to go sadly

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Pretty sure that's a Speckled Sussex rooster. He's very handsome!

 

[RedRidge]

Question for anybody!! I bought this bird in June, was told it was approx 20 weeks old at the time and should begin laying in the next 2 months. It's now October, no eggs, and just yesterday started crowing! I have read that some hens can crow but due to the fact that I also have no eggs I'm wondering if I've mistaken this one for a rooster! Can anybody tell from the picture what it is? I'm new to chickens and am not the best at telling them apart :/ If it is a rooster he will have to go sadly

Sorry... Not a hen...