Wisconsin "Cheeseheads"

[CherMoz]

Stay safe every one! Please do not put yourselves at risk this week!

 

[babylady4]

This is when I am thankful I have a job that enables me to work from home, and they are obsessed with safety! Staying home tomorrow and Wednesday for sure!

 

[No More Empty Nest]

This is my first winter retired and I'm really loving it this week!

 

[wyoDreamer]

I found some egg shells in the nest box last night, so I am guessing that the eggs are freezing in the nest box before I get home from work. They must be cracking and then the chickens are eating them, I would guess.

Do you all think I am going to have a problem with egg eaters after all this cold weather?

I used hay in the nest boxes last year, and had very few frozen eggs. This year I am using wood chip bedding, do you think that is making a difference in the number of freezing eggs? Do you think I should switch back to hay?
(I had been getting so many soft shell eggs from the old hens, that the wood chips are just easier to clean out of the nest box than the dirty hay.)

 

[bigzio]

I use straw in the nests during Winter, and it will provide more insulation than the wood chips and will help, but when you are talking eggs in the nests for hours during these temps, they still will freeze. Sometimes the hens will sit on them longer during these cold spells and that will help too, or if hens take turns using the same nest, that will keep them safe and warm longer too.
Hard to say if the hens will continue to eat the eggs.... you will have to keep a close eye on them....collecting as soon as possible when you get home and cleaning up any broken eggs is a good practice. Some folks buy the heat pads that you can place in the nests, and that will prevent eggs from freezing.
I'm ready for Spring.....even normal temps would seem balmy now.

Stay Warm... bigz

 

[wyoDreamer]

The forecast is for RAIN on Sunday, 36*.
Geeze louis, that is going to be a mess!

 

[Hurley]

Hey all Wisconsinites! Haven't been on the forum for a bit, but tucked in here with some hot chocolate, a fire lit, hunkered down for the cold and dreaming of chickens and spring. I'm down to just a small flock outdoors right now, the last of my Iowa Blues. Planning to just have a bunch of fun hens this year, colorful eggs, pretty girls. I have 20 one week old chicks in the basement growing fast and 18 eggs in the incubator of mixed breeds, just want to have a fun group of layers.

I ordered some lavender easter egger eggs that are fibromelanistic, got 7 eggs in the mail and all 7 are developing nicely with a week to go. The other eggs were a mix of rare breeds, PO managed to break 6 of the eggs, had to have shaken the bajeezus out of them given how they were packed, but looks like 11 are developing of the 18 survivors. All three Ayam cemani are showing growth, which is cool. Going to be colorful around here this summer.

Hope you all are staying warm and stay safe!!

I'm off work tomorrow and have zero intention of leaving my house except to carry some warm mash out to the girls and check water.



A few photos of some of the chicklings included above for sheer happiness.

~Connie

 

[Heinzie]

Good mmmmmmmmmorrrrrnnning brrr
Sure is exhilarating going from an 80' factory to -28

 

[Jusavi]

Just got the girls relocated to the garage in preparation for the arctic blast, at times like this I am glad I only have 3. Lol. Next year will be so much easier. Stay warm

What do the girls stay in while in the garage?

 

[No More Empty Nest]

Hey all Wisconsinites! Haven't been on the forum for a bit, but tucked in here with some hot chocolate, a fire lit, hunkered down for the cold and dreaming of chickens and spring. I'm down to just a small flock outdoors right now, the last of my Iowa Blues. Planning to just have a bunch of fun hens this year, colorful eggs, pretty girls. I have 20 one week old chicks in the basement growing fast and 18 eggs in the incubator of mixed breeds, just want to have a fun group of layers.

I ordered some lavender easter egger eggs that are fibromelanistic, got 7 eggs in the mail and all 7 are developing nicely with a week to go. The other eggs were a mix of rare breeds, PO managed to break 6 of the eggs, had to have shaken the bajeezus out of them given how they were packed, but looks like 11 are developing of the 18 survivors. All three Ayam cemani are showing growth, which is cool. Going to be colorful around here this summer.

Hope you all are staying warm and stay safe!!

I'm off work tomorrow and have zero intention of leaving my house except to carry some warm mash out to the girls and check water.

View attachment 1657636 View attachment 1657637 View attachment 1657624 View attachment 1657625 View attachment 1657626 View attachment 1657627 View attachment 1657628 View attachment 1657629 View attachment 1657630 View attachment 1657632 View attachment 1657633 View attachment 1657640

A few photos of some of the chicklings included above for sheer happiness.

~Connie

Cute chicks! Nice to see on such a cold morning. I'd love to see your fibromelanistic EEs. I had to google it, lol