What did you do with your flock today?

[Smokerbill]

Today I went out to do a check. It's going to be rainy for the next few days. How is everyone's forecast looking with this winter blast coming? The weather news says that 48 states have weather warnings.
Filled the one feeder, looked in the water bucket, and found just a little old feed which had molded in the other unused feeder. Promptly took it out, and gave it a good washing, along with a wagon which also had molded food and bag labels in the bottom. That wagon is handy for transporting feed from my car and storing it in the summer, but I don't think it will do in the damp cold. I will put it away when it dries. Had 3 eggs today. Toying with adding supplemental light to make up for our latitude. We are only getting about 8.5 hours from sunrise to sunset. Looking forward to 15 chicks arriving in 2 months. Ordered from a hatchery in a neighboring state so as to decrease transport time. 5 Dominant Coppers, 5 white leghorns, 5 Colorpack blues. I'll receive the overnight. Hopefully no roos.

Here's the forecast for my area for the next 10 days. My chickens have already experience temps in the 20s, so they'll be fine in that regard. The snow will be a new thing for them, though. And I'll probably let them out to explore in it if they are brave enough.



I have enough food for my chickens and myself to last until late February. I've been testing out my propane backup heater and I have gas for my generator... so I could hole up here for quite a while if necessary. LOL

Before I decided to put the roost in the coop today I was going to cover the lower 4 feet of the hardware cloth on the walls of their secure run with plywood to block the wind. And if I did that I was going to put in a lightbulb to give them more light. But since I won't be blocking wind (and light) from the day run, I'm not going to add the supplemental light. They're all laying fine with what little light we're getting. And the days are getting longer now anyway.

 

[LTAY1946]

We are in for a night tonight of violent thunderstorms. The temps will be above freezing but the howling winds are making things worse still. Next week we have a mid 20's forecast for 3 nights. That will be the coldest yet this winter. Last year we had 3 nights in a row of 15° and all the chickens came through that without a problem. No heated coops that are highly ventilated. The wind worries me but sealing up large hoop houses is almost impossible without losing needed ventilation from ammonia here. By next year hopefully we have a better solution to keep them out of the winds.

 

[ChicksnMore]

Yay for no more plumbers!! I’m sure you’re loving looking at all the giant holes in the walls and ceiling! Hopefully that gets done soon and done well!

Biscotti is such a trooper! I’m really rooting for him! I think ya gotta keep the really friendly one of the Hamburgs though!

I did...I was naughty and put her in with biscotti right before the lady got here . Think it's a she anyway. I named her Trudy...she's just too friendly for my own good

 

[ChicksnMore]

All the new baby chicks are still alive but I got a bit worried for the baby B today. She seemed a bit droopy this morning under the brooder plate so I got her out and held her and noticed she had a doughy crop. They all did when I got them yesterday—I’m thinking they may be dehydrated. So I sat with baby B and massaged her crop and she just sat there on her hocks with her eyes closed. Only reason I got chicks and it seems not well. Super. So after massaging the crop a bunch I fed her a syringe full of egg yolk, water, poultry cell and a splash of olive oil. After napping together on the couch for two hours she seemed to peel up a bit so I put her back in the brooder with her friends. I took the rest of the eggs and mixed them into their food dish and now they’re all eating and baby B ate the most and got herself water Fingers crossed! They’re all back in the food dish as I type. The egg mix is a hit I think!

O I hope she makes it... sounds promising and I know she's in good hands with you. Betting you'll have her thriving in no time

 

[ChicksnMore]

Just a thought. Would cat food supplement supply both more protein and enough Taurine? It contains .10 % as stated on the crude analysis label.

I think it would. Most cats have trouble with lactose and chickens are supposed to have trouble with it too. No lactase in them to handle the lactose. So I'd check to be sure it's lactose free. I know a lot of people use yogurt for good bacteria with chickens though...so maybe it's not really a concern? I'm in the habit of avoiding lactose with them though.

 

[ChicksnMore]

Today I went out to do a check. It's going to be rainy for the next few days. How is everyone's forecast looking with this winter blast coming? The weather news says that 48 states have weather warnings.
Filled the one feeder, looked in the water bucket, and found just a little old feed which had molded in the other unused feeder. Promptly took it out, and gave it a good washing, along with a wagon which also had molded food and bag labels in the bottom. That wagon is handy for transporting feed from my car and storing it in the summer, but I don't think it will do in the damp cold. I will put it away when it dries. Had 3 eggs today. Toying with adding supplemental light to make up for our latitude. We are only getting about 8.5 hours from sunrise to sunset. Looking forward to 15 chicks arriving in 2 months. Ordered from a hatchery in a neighboring state so as to decrease transport time. 5 Dominant Coppers, 5 white leghorns, 5 Colorpack blues. I'll receive the overnight. Hopefully no roos.

Brrr. It's cold here too. We stay warmer in the day then most places, but we rarely have a cloud blanket to hold that heat in. So we have days in the 50-60's and nights running 40-20's. Hope everyones bundled up and staying warm.

 

[ChicksnMore]

We are in for a night tonight of violent thunderstorms. The temps will be above freezing but the howling winds are making things worse still. Next week we have a mid 20's forecast for 3 nights. That will be the coldest yet this winter. Last year we had 3 nights in a row of 15° and all the chickens came through that without a problem. No heated coops that are highly ventilated. The wind worries me but sealing up large hoop houses is almost impossible without losing needed ventilation from ammonia here. By next year hopefully we have a better solution to keep them out of the winds.

Hope the storms not too hard on you! Wind can wreck such havoc.

 

[RedwoodCoastChick]

We are in for a night tonight of violent thunderstorms. The temps will be above freezing but the howling winds are making things worse still. Next week we have a mid 20's forecast for 3 nights.

Wow, you folks are really in for it!!! Reading this, plus all the folks facing blizzard/heavy snow conditions around the country, I'm grateful we're just getting very wet. Hope & pray you and everyone else (people and critters alike) come through unscathed.

 

[kurby22]

Wow, you folks are really in for it!!! Reading this, plus all the folks facing blizzard/heavy snow conditions around the country, I'm grateful we're just getting very wet. Hope & pray you and everyone else (people and critters alike) come through unscathed.

Same here! I’m glad I went on my snow vacation last weekend and am home in CA now It’s supposed to hit minus temps overnight where my mom lives in Idaho too! We never get temps that cold up there, sooo cold!

 

[TropicalBabies]

It has been pretty wet and wild here all day. I'm loving it. Should just be regular wet weather the rest of the week. Sending it your way @PopoMyers

This is on my way picking up a friend's sick chicken while she is off island for work. Litterly in a cloud 50 feet above sea level. Missed it in the photo. So, RSL and a repro issue. Her eyes are still bright ♡ also picking up another foster kitty tomorrow, installing a rack on my son's bike and cleaning my aunties friends house. Don't know how I keep getting sucked into that one... but I do.

Been super busy here. Cleaned coop, nestboxes and changed materials, filled feeders plus tidied up the run the day b4. Great timing did not expect the rains to be quite this heavy.

Good luck everyone with the winter weather change. Momma earth needs to chill. Loving all the fun posts. Good stuff.

Saturday I took off for an early morning ride on Honey. I left while the stars were out and made it to the east side to see the sunrise and then off to the north shore. Brought a thermos of coffee, a canteen of water and 2 granola bars so I could share with feral chickens when I stopped. Great time, made it home before lunch