The Natural Chicken Keeping thread - OTs welcome!

[SallyinIndiana]

Quote:
If you have a timer, can you set it to turn the light off for an hour then back on for 3 hours then off again for an hour?
Another approach is to lower the wattage of the bulb gradually. I tend to take the lowering the wattage approach since I have my brooder lights in the coop screwed into place so raising the light gradually would be more effort.

 

[Leahs Mom]

When I was brooding w/out a broody, I got a lamp dimmer cord and reduced the heat level gradually every couple of days until they were without heat. That way I didn't have to keep moving the light up/down.

As long as they have a place to totally escape from the heat that works well. They carry them at Lowes/Menards, etc.

http://www.amazon.com/Lutron-TT-300...1382635932&sr=8-2&keywords=dimmer+switch+cord

 

[SallyinIndiana]

When I was brooding w/out a broody, I got a lamp dimmer cord and reduced the heat level gradually every couple of days until they were without heat. That way I didn't have to keep moving the light up/down.

As long as they have a place to totally escape from the heat that works well. They carry them at Lowes/Menards, etc.

http://www.amazon.com/Lutron-TT-300...1382635932&sr=8-2&keywords=dimmer+switch+cord

What kind of light bulb did you use with this switch?

 

[aaggjg]

I only try to avoid bugs in summer. The fruit flies were insane. So much so I stopped fermenting and just soaked.

OMG I had to stop sprouting because of the Fruit Flies!!! I just started up again and those buggers are back in full force!!! UGH! Weirdly they don't seem to go to my FF bucket which is open and in my kitchen.....

 

[Sally8]

October 24. - Snow on the porch and frozen water. It's getting earlier every year.

Chicken Run. An absolutely stupid movie and as usual, we've seen it over and over.

FF, Another warning for those of you that ferment next to your wood stoves and have dogs. Let me just say that I got new carpeting shortly after starting ff my Aussie loves it and spilled a 5 gal pail all over the carpet. Silly dog. lol. (DH not particularly happy, pretty expensive ff). He still eats the chicken food, wet or dry and I've come to the conclusion that it's the reason for his constant itching.

 

[ki4got]

When I was brooding w/out a broody, I got a lamp dimmer cord and reduced the heat level gradually every couple of days until they were without heat. That way I didn't have to keep moving the light up/down.

As long as they have a place to totally escape from the heat that works well. They carry them at Lowes/Menards, etc.

http://www.amazon.com/Lutron-TT-300...1382635932&sr=8-2&keywords=dimmer+switch+cord

just an fyi, a dimmer like this does nothing to save on the electric bill... the same wattage is still going thru, it's just the electronics in the dimmer are diverting some of the flow to a resistor.

if saving $ is the goal, change the bulbs out.

 

[ki4got]

October 24. - Snow on the porch and frozen water. It's getting earlier every year.

FF, Another warning for those of you that ferment next to your wood stoves and have dogs. Let me just say that I got new carpeting shortly after starting ff my Aussie loves it and spilled a 5 gal pail all over the carpet. Silly dog. lol. (DH not particularly happy, pretty expensive ff). He still eats the chicken food, wet or dry and I've come to the conclusion that it's the reason for his constant itching.

yup. global warming!

and yes, that's probably a good assessment. most grains are the primary allergens for dogs. switch him over to a grain free or raw diet, and I bet the itching goes away... raw feeding has eliminated itching and ear infections for me.

 

[delisha]

Quote: I had no idea the crate was in with any other birds. They also look feathered out to me too. I would not worry about heat until dark or if goes below freezing. They can huddle or go into the crate to warm up.

you might have to give up and bring them in the house for a week or so - hard to get it to 80 in that small space with enough room to move away from the heat. Unless you could partition off a portion of your coop with chicken wire? You would probably have to put something over the top to keep mama out of there.

x2,

I would not put any heat on that crate with them lock inside..they would be better off partially covered up at night.

Quote: because when it is 30 degrees in a coop and directly under a light it is 80 degrees, she stated they are not all feathered out..chicks can quickly run under and warm up. A mother hen is 105 degrees. Even fully feathered chicks run under mom for warm up on cold days.

Quote: Great idea..

 

[armorfirelady]

October 24. - Snow on the porch and frozen water. It's getting earlier every year.

Chicken Run. An absolutely stupid movie and as usual, we've seen it over and over.

FF, Another warning for those of you that ferment next to your wood stoves and have dogs. Let me just say that I got new carpeting shortly after starting ff my Aussie loves it and spilled a 5 gal pail all over the carpet. Silly dog. lol. (DH not particularly happy, pretty expensive ff). He still eats the chicken food, wet or dry and I've come to the conclusion that it's the reason for his constant itching.

You can keep the snow there please

Cant say I have seen the movie but my son is old lol

And yes my dogs like the FF as well. Including the new batch with just grains in it. Thankfully they haven't knocked it over (yet) and hopefully I get the solar box made so I can get it back outside

I switched my guys over to a natural grain free food & it has helped a lot with Lily the blue heelers intestinal problems and Bears itching. Now its the dryness of the house that causes itching........always something

And I have no idea why grains and bird seed are so tasty to the dogs

 

[CoopChick719]

I haven't hatched manually since July. I have been so good. Someone needs to praise me.. This is really an amazing accomplishment. I may have stopped two weeks last year LOL

Good for you! Someone asked me if I wanted some hatching eggs because I had some broodys....I was strong and didn't cave!

Lala - you can lead test it. They have these in places like Lowes, Menards, Paint/Hardware stores. AFL used one on the crock she picked up at a sale.

Yaaay....I'm so stealing my Mum's old crock. I think she has yarn or something in it!

October 24. - Snow on the porch and frozen water. It's getting earlier every year.

Chicken Run. An absolutely stupid movie and as usual, we've seen it over and over.

FF, Another warning for those of you that ferment next to your wood stoves and have dogs. Let me just say that I got new carpeting shortly after starting ff my Aussie loves it and spilled a 5 gal pail all over the carpet. Silly dog. lol. (DH not particularly happy, pretty expensive ff). He still eats the chicken food, wet or dry and I've come to the conclusion that it's the reason for his constant itching.

It was snowing in Caribou, Maine today. My daughter goes to school up near there. The leggings she didn't want me to buy for her a month ago are now an essential part of her wardrobe!

My female loves chicken feed and will hoover up anything the girls spill out through the pen. She is always very upset when I give them leftovers too...barks at me from outside the pen. Silly girl!