Wisconsin "Cheeseheads"

[Dr HaHa]

Bigzio; When I retire I'd be more than glad to give you a hand but I must warn you. I'm a machinist and have a hard time being a carpenter. I've been yelled at more than a few times for being a little too precise. If hear 13 inches and 2 little lines I go off the deep end. My best friend always asks me to hand him a ruler and my pat response is I don't have a ruler but I have a tape measure. Then he swears at me. I'm thinking more of starting to sell eggs as opposed to a traveling coop builder. But I would if someone needed the help. $1 a bale is a great price for straw. I get mine on a barter system. He gives me straw and I give him eggs and fix his junk. Works for me! Will be checking my water in the AM after getting chewed out for getting home late [5:30] from the girls. I appolgized when I got the eggs but I know it wasn't enough.

 

[fordmommy]

I had a little frozen water this morning. Just around the edges. I'll be getting out that electric pet bowl I got from Snowcountry.com, recommended by Ma. We'll see how well it works. I also slobbered up the girls yesterday with the vasoline. They were pretty understanding.

Going to take my boys to see Santa in a little bit here. I think the oldest may know about Santa, but isn't saying anything. I'm not sure though. We turns 10 this week and that was about the age I knew. As long as he keeps the secret safe for his brother's sake, right???

Let it snow! Let it Snow! LET IT SNOW!!!!!

 

[Dr HaHa]

I too had a little frozen water this AM. I was using a 3 gal. waterer so I brought in one of the two gallon ones and replaced the concrete block with my water warmer. Both the gallon ones and 3 gallon are plastic and am thiniking of buying a metal one for winter. I like having the 2 -1 gallon ones for the brooder box, just to change them out every day. Darn little piggins! But their sooo cute when their little, OK when they get older too. Just like chilluns. Got a lot done this AM as usual. Cleaned out the wood stove and had to clean the chimney. After falling off the roof last Feb. my collar bone is still giving me grief so I paid my good neighbor to cut me 14 cord of wood for this year and it's kinda wet yet. A lot more build up than normal.

 

[bigzio]

Good Evening....

Dr.H I would never recommend the metal waterers.....they aren't as simple, or work as well as the plastic ones. The double wall makes it a pain, along with the rubber washer.(usually I hate the thought of plastic) One can place a ceramic 12X12 tile on the heaters ment for metal waterers only, and be safe, staying with the simple plastic ones. The metal waterers aren't worth the money. If anyone is really happy with one of the metal founts, then it ain't here in my neck of the woods.

I had a long day today.... I suppose the snow blower I gave my daughter should start, when I show her how it works, eh? Not on your life.....I ended uptaking it to the small engine shop so they could get er done.
Prolly a few bucks later it will run like a champ.

~ bigzio

 

[Amyable]

Winter is definitely rolling in. Our little pond is completely frozen over today. I put a foot on it to check the thickness, and got that creaky, squeaky, cracklely sound soft ice makes. Maybe if the temps stay low we can be skating by Christmas

Cut some evergreen boughs to spruce up the porch for the holidays, smells so good!

I'll have to remember that about waterers for next winter, bigzio. Despite being impatient for chicks, I am glad we will have seen the property go thru all 4 seasons before we build the coop and run in spring. And hopefully this house will prove to be better insulated than our last house

 

[Dr HaHa]

Thanks Bigzio for the heads up on the metal waterers. My homemade warmer is made of 2 by 12's with a 25 watt bulb inside, thin aluminum sheeting on the top for heat transfer. I need to get another timer so it goes on a couple of hours before the coop light goes on. Tonight I put an old cake pan on it to see how that works, might have to go to a 60 watt. Just got a call from my BFF in few minutes I get to call his 3- 4 year old daughter and be Santa checking up on her. I do it for several of my friends kids and am very convincing, but I have the inside info to help. HE HE HE!

 

[fordmommy]

Quote:
Ooooh. Ooooh. Whata do that for us too????

 

[cedar post]

Hello people, I see the water heaters are coming out. Just got back online computer was on the fritz for awhile

The weather looks like its going to dictate our outdoor activity for awhile. Though I love winter to do some snowshoeing. Christmas is coming quickly for me this year. Merry Christmas everyone Mike

 

[Dr HaHa]

fordmommy; I'd be more than happy to do it, it's a blast! I have unlimited long distance for now so that's not a problem. If your serious send me an E mail or PM with all the details. I'll destroy the phone number afterwards. The best part is when the child comes to the phone and Santa asks if this is so and so and they say yes? And I say say this is Santa! The phone always goes silent on the other end.

My friends have told me you should have been there to see the look on their faces. My BFF's daughter Emily now recognizes Santa's voice so she's less reserved but still knows it's Santa and is very respectful.

Sometimes Santa has to give a call back a little closer to xmas to remind them that he's watching and might have to change his list. My beard is getting grayer every year and if it ever goes completely white I'm going to let it grow out and really make an impression. Maybe if I drink more beer I can increase my girth and really do it right. Bad news on the waterer front one of the 1 gals was cracked when I got it as a hand me down. I glued it when I got it but now I see the lip is cracked and my 3 gal was thawing on the back porch and it was leaking a little. So I'll have to glue them up. I don't think the cake pan will work because I'm sure they will get up on top of it and do some wading and other things. Thinking of modifying it. On the up side I took my 6 qt canner off the top of the wood stove and strung aluminum wire between the handles and draped a terrycloth rag across it so it hangs in the water as a wick and set an old humidifier fan with the controls on top of it. This morning there was only about a tablespoon of water left in it and the humidity in the house came up 5%. I've had 4 different humidifiers and none has worked that well. Plus the terrycloth rag costs a lot less than the $100 I usually have to spend on filters every winter. Have to get my hinder moving. Have a good one!

 

[bigzio]

Sunday Evening to Everyone.

Dr.H, you rock with the santa scam....or are you really santa?

Maybe a 40watt bulb will work too. It's a trial and error thing, eh? I suppose there is plenty of time to get er tweeked just right....

I stopped by the neighborhood Christmas Tree farm to cut a tree for Me&Suzie and my 88 year old mom. Every year she says this is the last year that she wants to put up atree. Me &Suzie enjoy helping her out. It wouldn't be the same going home for for the big day, without a real tree there for everyone.

I have one last hen in a hard molt. I'm sure she wishes it would of been sooner. The treat of whole corn before the roost should help her stay warm. Closing the pop door is also a must for my featherless friend.

~ bigzio