What did you do with your flock today?

[PopoMyers]

Started thinking about the cold weather coming this winter so I just ordered these waterer nipples. Price was right, especially since I had a $5 gift card balance to use. I just hope they work ok. I'm using auto fill watering cups now, and those will freeze up when it gets cold.

I'll have to rig up a heat source underneath the water bucket...




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Nipples are the best thing ever. No dirt in the water bucket, less scrubbing. I don't think I scrubbed it since summer began. I also setup my bucket with an auto fill/shut off valve. As for freezing temps, last year I bought a heated waterer. It was a pain to fill it, and then have to turn it over, as it was 3 gallons and my upper body is not too strong. So, what I eventually did was to get a block to raise the up bucket with nipples, and just put the heater under the bucket. It worked great when we had those freezing temps for days last December.
I also have a nipple installed on a large plastic spice bottle for my hospital/broody cage, or for older chicks.

.

 

[PopoMyers]

Believe it or not, my two will not eat bacon! Parma ham, gammon, cured sliced ham... now that's a whole other story.

They know gourmet...

 

[PopoMyers]

Now we can add another to the list of feed stealers. Today I was in my garden checking on end of season things, and as I approached the feeders, there was a very strange noise. There, in the run, under one of the treadle was a squirrel! He was scolding me for being interrupted. I called for my cat, but I think he was napping, as he's usually wherever I am outside. Anyhow, the squirrel spent quite a bit of time there, and finally decided to get away from this bothersome human, and left, slipping right through the 2x4 fencing. It's been raining pretty good for the past several days, which was sorely needed. Finally had a dry afternoon to poop pickup, refresh shavings, and treat the chooks. Filled their feeders yesterday when there was a break in the rain. Got my hard cider started today.

 

[Shetland lover]

Nipples are the best thing ever. No dirt in the water bucket, less scrubbing. I don't think I scrubbed it since summer began. I also setup my bucket with an auto fill/shut off valve. As for freezing temps, last year I bought a heated waterer. It was a pain to fill it, and then have to turn it over, as it was 3 gallons and my upper body is not too strong. So, what I eventually did was to get a block to raise the up bucket with nipples, and just put the heater under the bucket. It worked great when we had those freezing temps for days last December.
I also have a nipple installed on a large plastic spice bottle for my hospital/broody cage, or for older chicks.

.

I bought a nipple waterer specifically for Ferdy. He's so precious about getting his wattles wet, I got concerned he wasn't drinking enough. Will he use the damn thing? Will he hell! And neither will anyone else!

 

[Shetland lover]

They know gourmet...

Scarily true! They look at me as if I'm insane if I offer them plain old sausage but it's a whole other story if there's chorizo or something similar on offer....

 

[Shetland lover]

Now we can add another to the list of feed stealers. Today I was in my garden checking on end of season things, and as I approached the feeders, there was a very strange noise. There, in the run, under one of the treadle was a squirrel! He was scolding me for being interrupted. I called for my cat, but I think he was napping, as he's usually wherever I am outside. Anyhow, the squirrel spent quite a bit of time there, and finally decided to get away from this bothersome human, and left, slipping right through the 2x4 fencing. It's been raining pretty good for the past several days, which was sorely needed. Finally had a dry afternoon to poop pickup, refresh shavings, and treat the chooks. Filled their feeders yesterday when there was a break in the rain. Got my hard cider started today.

We have squirrel issues with feed too...

 

[PopoMyers]

We have squirrel issues with feed too...

There's a first time for everything. How are you getting along? Loved your pics. Such pretty gals.

 

[Nomadicus]

I missed seeing my Shuster on his roosting place and he wasn't on the other roost he sometimes sleeps on. Then I remembered that he had slipped into one of the coops of girls. He wasn't there and I hadn't seen him all day so I was prepared for the worst. The when tending to a coop with 18 RIR pullets that we had hatched out there he was looking as he hadn't done a thing. I picked him up and had a little talk about how he had me worried. He slept last night on his high up roost under a roof where protected. He was so mad with me from taking him out of the girls coop that he wouldn't eat his treat. Sometimes you just can't win with a chicken.

 

[Nomadicus]

What kind of feeder do you have that one can comfortably sit and lay an egg in it?

It's just a 30lb metal hanging feeder. Harris brand I think.

 

[PopoMyers]

I missed seeing my Shuster on his roosting place and he wasn't on the other roost he sometimes sleeps on. Then I remembered that he had slipped into one of the coops of girls. He wasn't there and I hadn't seen him all day so I was prepared for the worst. The when tending to a coop with 18 RIR pullets that we had hatched out there he was looking as he hadn't done a thing. I picked him up and had a little talk about how he had me worried. He slept last night on his high up roost under a roof where protected. He was so mad with me from taking him out of the girls coop that he wouldn't eat his treat. Sometimes you just can't win with a chicken.

Checking out the new chicks, huh? He'll get over it. Yup, sometimes it's hilariously frustrating.