The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[armorfirelady]

I ordered the gloves and got them last night. Got a medium and a large pair, not a heck of a lot of difference. Med fit best, but large was totally useable.

SO, tried them out on this subzero morning. They work great! give you enough dexterity to open trash cans, dish out mash, unscrew things, mess with the locks and bungee cords, etc. My hands were ok - not toasty warm, but definitely protected from the cold.

Came home to 6 eggs, including two from new layers - exciting.

I get to be home tomorrow so can feed a warm, hot mash while it is 45 below zero windchill and in the 20's below zero.

I to have found they are great for doing chores outside. Especially when I get my hands wet then touch metal (ouch) The gloves protect my hands well.

I saw on the news your guys weather. Stay warm !! We got another foot & half of snow with high winds. Wind chills -30 they are saying. Iwill def be inside with the wood stove when I am not at work.

So I put the window down in the coop last weekend when the temps were in the 50s. Of course yesterday when the temps were in the teens it had froze and hot water wouldn't get it to budge. So I improvised by hanging a piece of plastic over the open and the door being closed secured it. More to keep the blowing snow out & some of the winds if they change directions. The girls don't seem hampered by the cold temps. I put some fresh shavings down in the coop & old run so they can dig thru it. The peepers seem to be least bothered by it. I see them out during the day. And the 2 pullets are still laying And I put out suet as well. Figured the fat & treats will keep them healthy with these wicked cold temps

 

[Leahs Mom]

http://www.amazon.com/Atlas-AG451L-Therma-Fit-Gloves-Large/product-reviews/B0048WR7J8


I am not sure if they have the med in stock or not, you would have to search amazon. I saw there were also some on ebay and other places too....

Thank you!

I had a pair that was similar but dark blue. The rubbery stuff is getting "sticky" after having used them for 2 seasons so I'm going to go ahead and order some.

 

[lalaland]

Frozen water tip: the floating ping pong ball!

I've been having a problem in these subzero temps keeping the water from icing over - there is plenty of unfrozen water but a thick ice develops on top. THis is likely because I am still using the plastic ice cream buckets sitting in the heated dog bowl.....

so I took one of the cats toys - a ping pong ball sized plastic ball with holes in it, and tossed it in the water buckets.

It works! I came home Monday to an iced over bucket, with a drinking hole next to the ball, which was frozen in place. Yesterday I came home to totally open water - even though it was colder than Monday.

I think the theory is that the ball floats, the hens dipping beaks in water make tiny waves which make the ball move and the action keeps the water less likely to freeze?

anyway here is the ball and a gratuitous pic of Mia who kept going after the ball when I was trying to grab a pic. Please ignore the mess in the background!

 

[sunflower4you]

Frozen water tip: the floating ping pong ball!

I've been having a problem in these subzero temps keeping the water from icing over - there is plenty of unfrozen water but a thick ice develops on top. THis is likely because I am still using the plastic ice cream buckets sitting in the heated dog bowl.....

so I took one of the cats toys - a ping pong ball sized plastic ball with holes in it, and tossed it in the water buckets.

It works! I came home Monday to an iced over bucket, with a drinking hole next to the ball, which was frozen in place. Yesterday I came home to totally open water - even though it was colder than Monday.

I think the theory is that the ball floats, the hens dipping beaks in water make tiny waves which make the ball move and the action keeps the water less likely to freeze?

anyway here is the ball and a gratuitous pic of Mia who kept going after the ball when I was trying to grab a pic. Please ignore the mess in the background!

I will definitely have to give this a try since my water keeps freezing over, as well. This cold weather is brutal!

 

[potagergirl]

Hubby is taking me to Florida next week for our anniversary.
Normally I would not leave my chickens but this is a very good reason not to mention Missouri is 1 degree and Florida is 70.
I have someone with chicken knowledge taking care of the dailys for my 18 chickens. I've never left them before so is there
anything extra I need to do or leave for the chicky lady taking care of them?

Also, if you know of any fun chicken places in or around Saint Petersburg, Florida to visit I'd love to know about them =)

thank you

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Hubby is taking me to Florida next week for our anniversary.
Normally I would not leave my chickens but this is a very good reason not to mention Missouri is 1 degree and Florida is 70.
I have someone with chicken knowledge taking care of the dailys for my 18 chickens. I've never left them before so is there
anything extra I need to do or leave for the chicky lady taking care of them?

Also, if you know of any fun chicken places in or around Saint Petersburg, Florida to visit I'd love to know about them =)

thank you

back up heated water dishes in case yours quits while you are gone.

 

[sunflower4you]

Hubby is taking me to Florida next week for our anniversary.
Normally I would not leave my chickens but this is a very good reason not to mention Missouri is 1 degree and Florida is 70.
I have someone with chicken knowledge taking care of the dailys for my 18 chickens. I've never left them before so is there
anything extra I need to do or leave for the chicky lady taking care of them?

Also, if you know of any fun chicken places in or around Saint Petersburg, Florida to visit I'd love to know about them =)

thank you

I know this isn't chicken-maintenance-oriented, but a suggestion: let her have the eggs she collects! Finding someone to care for your chickens is hard!

 

[potagergirl]

I know this isn't chicken-maintenance-oriented, but a suggestion: let her have the eggs she collects! Finding someone to care for your chickens is hard!

back up heated water dishes in case yours quits while you are gone.

Thank you both.
Yes we already discussed the eggs being kept and I told her she is welcome to give them away as well. My Cochin love the cold weather and
have been laying almost 5 eggs a day like clockwork. That's a lot of eggs over 10 days.

I had not thought about a backup heated water dish. I'll buy a second one and have hubby run a line for it. A great thought, it never occurred to me.

I will be mixing their feed tomorrow making sure there is an extra 50# bag just in case. I'm excited about going but a surprise trip when you have chickens
depending on you makes a bit of a pinch.

 

[COChix]

Thank you both.
Yes we already discussed the eggs being kept and I told her she is welcome to give them away as well. My Cochin love the cold weather and
have been laying almost 5 eggs a day like clockwork. That's a lot of eggs over 10 days.

I had not thought about a backup heated water dish. I'll buy a second one and have hubby run a line for it. A great thought, it never occurred to me.

I will be mixing their feed tomorrow making sure there is an extra 50# bag just in case. I'm excited about going but a surprise trip when you have chickens
depending on you makes a bit of a pinch.

Of course a first aid kit, just in case.

 

[SallyinIndiana]

Of course a first aid kit, just in case.

A warm place to use the kit too if the bird is not to be culled right away. Maybe a corner of the garage with a small milk room heater available to plug in, would work out good.