Washingtonians Come Together! Washington Peeps

[Hinotori]

Quote:

We dropped to 60 outside last night and there is almost always a light breeze. During the day it's felt really nice, even though it's warm. The big ponds and lack of trees in the weather direction because of them helps a ton. If the humidity wasn't so high last night, I'd have opened windows to save some money.

We bought a window AC for the bedroom last year, and got another for the living room this year. Our house amazingly stays very temp stable even though it's old. So it's very nice temps inside since it's so small. It's much cheaper running AC than running space heaters in the coldest weather for us. Less temp change.



I missed minimo. Welcome! We are a bit chatty sometimes.

 

[Stumpfarmer]

Hinotori:  I agree about the heat, luckily my girls have plenty of shade, but it's still awfully warm when there's no breeze.  We finally gave it up last night and slept in the trailer.  It has AC so we could at least cool it off enough to get to sleep.  The rest of the night was fine with just windows opened. 

Yes. just watch the chicks. If they huddle together, they might be cold. If they spread their wings out and lay down flat, then they are a bit too warm. My husband purchased a laser gun, thermometer and blasted each chick periodically to see what temp they each were at. I think he bought it at harbor freight. Also check with o'Reilly auto parts. This worked out fantastically!

Now there's something I never thought about!

BTW.... Welcome minimo!  Tell us a little about yourself and your birds!  We're just SO nosey around here. 

We dropped to 60 outside last night and there is almost always a light breeze. During the day it's felt really nice, even though it's warm. The big ponds and lack of trees in the weather direction because of them helps a ton. If the humidity wasn't so high last night, I'd have opened windows to save some money.

We bought a window AC for the bedroom last year, and got another for the living room this year. Our house amazingly stays very temp stable even though it's old. So it's very nice temps inside since it's so small. It's much cheaper running AC than running space heaters in the coldest weather for us. Less temp change. 



I missed minimo. Welcome! We are a bit chatty sometimes.

We heat with oil-filled radient heaters in the winter; they're on timers as well as thermostats and the house drops to about 65F when the heat's off overnight, unless temps drop below 20F outside. Our power bill went down about 35% when we stopped using electric forced air.

The house is oriented so that the short end faces directly into the setting sun for about twenty days around the solstice(which means the south wall with all the windows catches maximum winter sun when it's out), but the hazelnut bushes shade the only window that faces that direction from about 7:30pm on. I'm in the shade of huge old oaks on the east side of the house until about 10am and the house shade starts being useful about 3pm; I use misters to create pools of cooled air but it REALLY shows on the pump bill. I need to figure out a break-even point for buying AC. Every window has at least aluminum mini blinds, and the ones that get the most sun also have insulated curtains.

 

[Hinotori]

We heat with oil-filled radient heaters in the winter; they're on timers as well as thermostats and the house drops to about 65F when the heat's off overnight, unless temps drop below 20F outside. Our power bill went down about 35% when we stopped using electric forced air.

The house is oriented so that the short end faces directly into the setting sun for about twenty days around the solstice(which means the south wall with all the windows catches maximum winter sun when it's out), but the hazelnut bushes shade the only window that faces that direction from about 7:30pm on. I'm in the shade of huge old oaks on the east side of the house until about 10am and the house shade starts being useful about 3pm; I use misters to create pools of cooled air but it REALLY shows on the pump bill. I need to figure out a break-even point for buying AC. Every window has at least aluminum mini blinds, and the ones that get the most sun also have insulated curtains.

Normally we use the wood stove for heating. We like the temp about 60-65 so we only go through a cord to cord and a half. The only spot that we keep a heater warmer in winter is the bathroom (we keep it closed). I keep the back bedroom closed off in winter since I store my potatoes and such in there. It stays about 10-15 degrees cooler. We only ever use one space heater in the living room and none in the bedroom. With the wood stove going (and bathroom heater), or just during the mild times of year when only the windows are open, the power bill drops to $55-60.

I have insulated curtains on the window to keep both heat and cold out. Our house faces NNE. The afternoon sun comes in the big bedroom windows on the side of the house. The South facing windows are small. We have no trees on the front of the property for shade. I'm thinking of putting up a trellis and planting some vines to shade the side. I grow plants against the back of the house. That's where my two potted grapes are (that have grapes forming!) I only planted the grapes last year so they aren't very big yet, and I did prune like I should.

I've tried planting various plants outside of neck reach near the chicken runs, but when I let them out to free range the dummies have either eaten (lemon balm and spearmint) or dug them up (eucalyptus). I should go plant some of the oil peppermint I have over there. They leave that alone. Mom had gotten starts from Grandma and a friend and I got starts from her. The eucalyptus was to offer some shade when it got big enough. I need to get a couple more grapes in pots over there.

 

[RainyDayChicken]

Hi all,

This is my 4 week Silver penciled Rock. I got some HRIR hatching eggs from Dick Horstman the extras were SPR's. I messed up the hatch and this was the only chick I hatched. I think after hatching out this chick I am going to raise HSPR's instead of HRIR"s.

 

[Stumpfarmer]

Hi all, This is my 4 week Silver penciled Rock. I got some HRIR hatching eggs from Dick Horstman the extras were SPR's. I messed up the hatch and this was the only chick I hatched. I think after hatching out this chick I am going to raise HSPR's instead of HRIR"s.

Lovely!

 

[Elisha81]

Our new girl! finally have a gold laced brahma!! Now if only I could find her a mate Her wings have been clipped but gosh she is so pretty! My son has named her Savannah

 

[AletaG]

Hey! That penciled rock is a cutie, but that leaves me n mumsy alone again with the HRIR... and, technically, mumsy is totally alone until I get a hold of some RF birdies! I have a line on some pullets, though...

 

[RainyDayChicken]

I have seen your post on HLF thread and know you were looking, but after seeing and hatching the pencil I just fail in love with them. I have Matt's email that Bob sent me if you what to email him to see if he will have some in the fall. Matt has awesome reds that is from two different lines. He does not post much if any but Hollywood was from his line.

Richard

 

[RainyDayChicken]

It will just be awesome to have some more rare breed going out here. I just hope I can raise my to look as awesome as other BYC members do out here.

 

[AletaG]

Thanks Richard! I know what you mean about falling in love with what falls into your lap... You know my other obsession is finding banties that are like the ones I adopted from our animal rescue place. And the lady we bought the runs/coops from gifted me her 'hatchling warmers' which, when they are from Greenfire farms, well dang. I am trying not to get all excited about the 2 Rhodebar pairs. We only have .25 acre lot, so can't go around breeding every nifty Heritage line there is. 'cause they are ALL nifty!
-AG