Wisconsin "Cheeseheads"

[Bigfamily4me]

Happy New Year!

 

[babylady4]

Tree came down yesterday along with all the decorations. Waited until 12:05 last night then went to bed. Doing massive cleaning today to prepare for the onslaught of relatives arriving tomorrow. Going to cook a turkey AND a ham so we have plenty of food. Now I need to get my pork roast in my slow cooker so we have dinner for tonight!!!!

Later all!

 

[kjgoodman]

Happy New Year!!! Hope you all had a fun safe night. DH had to milk last night, so it was just me and the kids until yhey went to bed at 9:30, and then just me until he came in at 1:30. Oh well.....
All my chickens seemed ok yesterday when I checked on them. Hoping for the same today. Anyone else have an unheated coop? I worry that they will be frozen when I go out to check on them

Another question- I got two Amercaunas in August and I got one blue egg from them the next day, and NOTHING since. They were just coming out of a moult when I got them and they are about 1 1/2yrs old. Will they recover and start laying again, or do I just cull them?
Off to frost the cake I am bringing to DH's family Christmas party this afternoon. Have a great day all!!

My coop isn't heated either, just a bit protected from the wind is really all. I have 8 and they all seem to be doing just fine. I have a light in the coop, it is well bedded with shavings that I clean every day and they have heated water. I worried about them last night, but by 11 am, i had 4 eggs!! on track for 5 or 6 today, I think. So, i guess they are fine! My very tolerant husband, who thinks I am a bit crazy with all this chicken stuff reminds me daily that they are birds and are madde to toerate climate changes..............then he ussually teases me about wanting to bring them in our basement.... it isnt finished and it is heated. I have been known to nurse preemie calves back to health in our basement lol........;-)

 

[Hurley]

Happy New Year, Everyone!


Have 5 freshly hatched chickies in the incubator, 2 more pips, lost one to failure of navel to close, but ah well, them's the breaks. I've got loads of eggs behind them staggered every 4 or 5 days, so it's just the beginning.

Holy cow, can't believe I've won contests! Never win anything and this came in 3's. Won a random post selection, happening to post at the right post number. Won the Caption This contest with an Alice in Wonderland reference. This this am found out that this pic of DS2 won in the Cutest Baby contest. I'm just blown away. Got a variety of eggs coming now. Not sure what they all are... A dozen mystery eggs, 6 Polish Tolbunt, 6 Crested Cream Legbars (lay a pretty blue egg, are autosexing), and another dozen hatching eggs, breed not known yet.

 

[CasieD]

Happy New Year, Everyone!


Have 5 freshly hatched chickies in the incubator, 2 more pips, lost one to failure of navel to close, but ah well, them's the breaks. I've got loads of eggs behind them staggered every 4 or 5 days, so it's just the beginning.

Holy cow, can't believe I've won contests! Never win anything and this came in 3's. Won a random post selection, happening to post at the right post number. Won the Caption This contest with an Alice in Wonderland reference. This this am found out that this pic of DS2 won in the Cutest Baby contest. I'm just blown away. Got a variety of eggs coming now. Not sure what they all are... A dozen mystery eggs, 6 Polish Tolbunt, 6 Crested Cream Legbars (lay a pretty blue egg, are autosexing), and another dozen hatching eggs, breed not known yet.

Awesome wins Hurley!! Did you buy that lottery ticket yet?

I've got tolbunt and CCL eggs coming this spring too from the swap thread.

 

[vickiw]

HUGE CONGRATS HURLEY

(Is it ok to say I am jealous of all those kewl eggs you're getting?)

Yep, we got reeaallyyy cold last night too but then the clouds must have rolled in because it was above 0 when I got up this morning. Hanging right around 11 degrees now but that wind is blowing and NASTY windchill! Waited till the sun finally got above our southern treetops (only happens for about 2 hours or so for us this time of year) to let the girls out and they BOOGIED

streight for the greenhouse where it is a toasty 45 degrees. Because of the wind, I gave them some fresh water and treats and closed them in so it would stay warm. Took advantage of the situation to do my coop chores and egg gathering. Noodle has it figured out

and laid her egg in the nest box, good chookie.

Now I feel the need to confess. Ok, I admit it, I am a TOTALLY HENPECKED CHOOKIE MOMMA. There, I said it. When I tried calling the girls out of the greenhouse yesterday and back to the coop for supper, no body appeared around the corner as usual. Strange, I looked toward the greenhouse and there they all were on top of the haybale on the plant shelf, staring at me thru the side of the greenhouse and squacking!!! Didn't dawn on me at first but then it struck me. The cold wind was still blowing! ~ Yes, I did. ~ I went into the greenhouse, picked them up 2 at a time ( they were quietly waiting and totally were happy with this, even Noodle) and carried them, snuggled to my coat, back into the coop to their warm supper. Apparently they weren't thrilled with north wind up their tail feathers and/or didn't want to get their little chookie toes cold on the shoveled path. In their defense, it was already beginning to get really cold, even in the greenhouse. In my defense? I don't have any, sigh. My husband laughing thru the kitchen window didn't help any either.

....................vickiquietlygoingawaynowwithheadhanginglow...................................

 

[WIChookchick]

Good morning and Happy New Year!!
We had a nice pasta dinner and watched two episodes of Planet Earth with Joan, came home, chilled, DH had to take a benedryl so we could sit in the living room at Joan's she has a cat
and he is allergic to them, so soon after getting home he went to bed. i was in bed before midnight.
Could not get the truck to start, too cold, so now its much warmer out have to go feed the flock and herd.
AND my insides are rebelling... had to take a swig of the pink stuff., also felt like

this morning, and no I haven't had anything to drink other than regular cider last night, water and then
coffee this morning, and cream of wheat. (food not drink.. LOL)

Well I am off, DH is watching the Cap 1 Bowl... its a GAME I tell you!! WOW!

 

[CasieD]

HUGE CONGRATS HURLEY

(Is it ok to say I am jealous of all those kewl eggs you're getting?)

Yep, we got reeaallyyy cold last night too but then the clouds must have rolled in because it was above 0 when I got up this morning. Hanging right around 11 degrees now but that wind is blowing and NASTY windchill! Waited till the sun finally got above our southern treetops (only happens for about 2 hours or so for us this time of year) to let the girls out and they BOOGIED

streight for the greenhouse where it is a toasty 45 degrees. Because of the wind, I gave them some fresh water and treats and closed them in so it would stay warm. Took advantage of the situation to do my coop chores and egg gathering. Noodle has it figured out

and laid her egg in the nest box, good chookie.

Now I feel the need to confess. Ok, I admit it, I am a TOTALLY HENPECKED CHOOKIE MOMMA. There, I said it. When I tried calling the girls out of the greenhouse yesterday and back to the coop for supper, no body appeared around the corner as usual. Strange, I looked toward the greenhouse and there they all were on top of the haybale on the plant shelf, staring at me thru the side of the greenhouse and squacking!!! Didn't dawn on me at first but then it struck me. The cold wind was still blowing! ~ Yes, I did. ~ I went into the greenhouse, picked them up 2 at a time ( they were quietly waiting and totally were happy with this, even Noodle) and carried them, snuggled to my coat, back into the coop to their warm supper. Apparently they weren't thrilled with north wind up their tail feathers and/or didn't want to get their little chookie toes cold on the shoveled path. In their defense, it was already beginning to get really cold, even in the greenhouse. In my defense? I don't have any, sigh. My husband laughing thru the kitchen window didn't help any either.

....................vickiquietlygoingawaynowwithheadhanginglow...................................

Those chooks have got you trained alright!! lol

 

[bigzio]

Happy New Year! Congrats on all the wins hurley and on the hatches. You guys didn't waste anytime in 2013 did you.

Do you have a light on the hens judge? I would give em a brake....they don't eat much.

bigz

 

[delisha]

Happy New Year!!! Hope you all had a fun safe night. DH had to milk last night, so it was just me and the kids until yhey went to bed at 9:30, and then just me until he came in at 1:30. Oh well.....
All my chickens seemed ok yesterday when I checked on them. Hoping for the same today. Anyone else have an unheated coop? I worry that they will be frozen when I go out to check on them

Another question- I got two Amercaunas in August and I got one blue egg from them the next day, and NOTHING since. They were just coming out of a moult when I got them and they are about 1 1/2yrs old. Will they recover and start laying again, or do I just cull them?
Off to frost the cake I am bringing to DH's family Christmas party this afternoon. Have a great day all!!

I have never heated my coops
If you put a thermometer inside it rarely gets below 0 on the coldest days. You have a nice open area for your hens so humidity should not be an issue and they can cuddle up to your other critters to keep toes warm. Healthy chickens are pretty hardy critters.

they will make a tasty meal!