Wisconsin "Cheeseheads"

[BlackBrookPoultry]

I haven't been on here in years and I came across the pizza cutter I won at the bash on 2013. I decided to stop in and say "hi". I still raise orpingtons, wyandottes, dutch and I've been breeding cochin x silkies.

 

[123maparker]

Good Cold Morning! -17 deg on the truck this morning. I let the 7 ducks and 2 geese out. I do not have water in their shelter/huts. I opened the door- had their heated water dish/food a few feet away- they still climbed in their water tubs for a bath. My hubs is home today (he is a teacher and school is closed) I told him if he sees anyone struggling to call me and I would come home and we can put them in the garage for the night. He wasn't real thrilled about that idea but too bad...LOL I know ducks and geese are strong creatures but this weather is just ridiculous.

Hope everyone is staying warm.

Renee

 

[123maparker]

Good morning, I'm in Stoughton. This will be my first winter with chickens. What type of heated bowl should I look for? I tested 2 recently but there was no apparent heat generated. Any suggestions are appreciated. Michele

 

[DoodlesDuckies]

Good morning, I'm in Stoughton. This will be my first winter with chickens. What type of heated bowl should I look for? I tested 2 recently but there was no apparent heat generated. Any suggestions are appreciated. Michele

I do not have much experience with chickens. I know they are not as hardy as ducks/geese nor as messy. A guy I work with uses a heat lamp, I know, I know, a HUGE no no for most. That's what he uses. And it keeps the temp above freezing in their hut. I use a heated water bowl from tractor supply. The green lower one, not a bucket. It NEVER froze over last year- even in the -30 degrees we had for like a week straight. They are usually regulated with the outside temp...if it is warm out, it wont heat. If it is cold...it turns on. It's weird. I changed the water 3 times a day in it because the ducks would sit in it like a hot tub.

My animals are pets, not for meat or egg production. So they are spoiled.

Maybe someone on here will have more insight on chickens.

Renee

 

[jvls1942]

I am anti heat lamps, big time.
too dangerous. and not cost effective.
get a small milk house heater. less expensive in the long run . after 3 of the heat lamps burn out, you could have had a heater. btdt
my ducks and geese would take a bath at any temp below zero. remember, even cold water is above freezing. the water would freeze on their backs and form bb's and roll off. they don't get cold because the water never reaches their skin.
i had shelter for them, but they never used it.
for water for the chickens, i used a 3 gal waterer, i directed the blower from the milk house heater at the waterer, it kept it from freezing and also heated the coop. i had 14 orpington hens, and one day in January I had 100% eggs. I used artificial light, i know some people do not do that. BigZ...