Washingtonians

[flyingmonkeypoop]

Well I let the hens out with the ducks this morning and the turken went right through the fence (she is the size of a large bantam) so I put her in a cage for the day, I think I might just give her to a friend and try to find another calm largefowl hen. Right now the cochin is hanging out with the ducks, they get along great together.

 

[justbugged]

Quote:
I think I may know who has a drawing and foto's of that dimmer set up if anyone is interested.

Thanks for the offer! When I mentioned it to DH he said he knew how to do it for me. He is a very smart man. I will let you know when I get it done. Others though may want to think about the offer though. You have a great idea there.

 

[KMHunter]

Quote:
Just hang heat lamps with a low watt bulb over your roosts. They will get under it if it's too cold. You don't want to add too much heat. Just enough to keep their feet and combs from freezing, and to bring the temp up around them to around or just above freezing. You are sharper than most tool in the shed! And you speak better than most chickens I know.

 

[RonB]

KMHunter
Thanks
Hey that rubber mat you were telling me about is ONLY for inside right? My run is fast becoimg a mudh hole.
Well it is raining cats and dogs,and getting dark better go lock up the flock

Today
5 out of 5 brown eggs
1 out of 3 whites one leghorn is laying everyday, one is about one every 2 days. still waiting on my Calif. white

 

[KMHunter]

The stall mat is only for inside, I put sand in the run. It tends to dry out faster. Although it hasn't been totally dry since the fall rain started, but it's not muddy and I don't get pools of water. You could also try to cover more of your run too. I will call you about friday, we have my neice and nephew coming over thursday thru Saturday. I will check with my DH to see what the plans are. Hey, does your daughter work at the Woodinville Pets Smart?

 

[weaveagarden]

Regarding heat and chickens. Here is what my brain has come up with.

Heat rises.... Cold falls

I am building a box 6 by 4 by 4 feet. open only on the bottom (so basically an upside down box) Making it out of foam insulation enclosed in cheap birch panel and the frame of 2X2's. This will be suspended so that it is at least 18" off of the floor of the coop so chickens can easily enter from below.

Roosting rack of 2X2's inside that will be solid so no rocking or movement by chickens jumping up and moving about. Roosts will have at least 2 feet of head room so rooster can stretch out and up as needed for crowing.

Chicken heat should be all that is needed. I am going to put some drilled holes in the very top corners of the side panels to allow moist air escape as needed, and to regulate the heat a bit. I will put a high and low thermometer in there also so that I can get an idea how it is working at various temps. If a light is needed, one below the roosts should work (heat rises). Probably a low wattage incandescent would be plenty of heat. My goal is going to be to keep it above 45 overnight, and not warmer than 65 degrees.

I know that when I used to camp in the winter, I would always try to make my bed higher in the tent on really cold nights. Even in the tent, the heat would accumulate better at the top of the tent. An insulating blanket over me always worked just fine rather than piling on more blankets that didn't insulate well.

People who ice camp try to build a "sink" in the bottom of their bunker and the door entering from below, so that cold air can drop and go out. Hot air will accumulate above.

I think this should work out for the flock. Here's hoping!

 

[Tailfeathers]

It's been awhile since I popped in and thought I'd give my quick two-cents on the heat and chickens.

Last year when I had two feet of snow on the ground and several weeks of single-digit temps, I had to hang a heatlamp over the waterer to keep it from freezing. The birds didn't leave the coop for about two weeks while the snow was on the ground even though I opened the coop every day. The coop has a dutch door on it with the top half of one side permamently removed. With that, I had no problems with frostbite or anything else.

This year I will have chicks of various ages going thru the winter. So I have two new 4x8x4' chick houses and a new second 8x12' coop. One heat lamp in the 4x8x4' chick houses is more than adequate to provide plenty of warmth and keep the little critters nice and toasty. I've got some older chicks in them now that will be moved to the second coop pretty soon. I think I've got a 75 watt bulb in the houses now and they're snug as a bug in a rug.

God Bless,

 

[FosteRoo]

Thanks to all who offered coop heating ideas. It's awesome how y'all on BYC are such a helpful community!

Herbandteas: yes, please let us know when you're up near Sequim. We'd love to meet, and if you're into "herbs" my advanced RN wife has a degree in plant/herb medicine, maybe something else in common. You probably remember driving by Chicken Coop Rd, near Gardiner; we're just off Hwy 101 there.

 

[Chicken Rustler]

I just checked the web site for SWW Fair (Chehalis). This is what it says about the show. Hope it helps.

Washington Feather Fanciers WInter Brisk Poultry Show
Starts At: Dec 12 7:00 AMEnds At: Dec 13 4:00 PMLocation: Blue Pavilion
Sat. & Sun. Dec. 12-13...
WASHINGTON FEATHER FANCIERS
WINTER BRISK POULTRY SHOW

Blue Pavilion
Hours: Sat. 7:00 am-6:00pm
Sun. 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
Info: (360) 736-2751
[email protected]

 

[Chicken Rustler]

Well we are really gettin hit with the wind and our lights have blinked a couple of times so I guess that's my cue to get off here and turn the puter off.
Good night all .
Better batten the hatches it's gettin purdy knarly out there.