The Quack Shack

[Miss Lydia]

After 10 days of all-day frost, a day of spring-like warmth and a day of snow, we're back to frost. Single digit F overnight. Various gates won't open easily, old boots frozen to the ground, ducks take 5 steps and sit down. Three more days of this are forecast and then a warm period.

It's interesting for me to follow the discussion about heating because we're in the EU, the entity which has decided to perform energy suicide by phasing out old stuff before there's sufficient capacity of new stuff. It's hard to plan any kind of heating for new buildings because of mixed policy signals. On one hand money stimulus is paid to people to install a wood- or gas-powered furnace and on the other there's persistent talk of both being banned.

I find it really hard to understand many modern policy decisions because they seem completely irrational (and their consequences keep confirming this) while the majority is happy to cheer them on. Feels like "The Emperor's new clothes".

In the US you're blessed with an abundance of natural gas and a sensible enough attitude towards it (at least compared to the EU which is not a tall hurdle to overcome; yes, I've heard of the ideas about gas cooking ranges).

Nevertheless I think a wood stove is hard to beat for just plain self-sufficiency if you have a local source of firewood. We cut down some from our own little property and buy the rest from others in the village who have larger forest plots. In its basic form a wood stove is a way of heating that does not rely on anything else - no pipleline or distribution network, no contradictory things like wood pellet furnaces needing electricity to function.

Some models have a feature where fresh air is pulled in from the top of the stove, making its way down slowly and getting seriously pre-heated even before it reaches the fire. They say this makes for a cleaner and more complete burn, provided of course the firewood is also of good quality - properly dry most of all.

to all the above. I can sure attest to wood heating it is really the best way especially with the way the power grides are now. In our town and some of the surrounding area power went out which isn't so good when it's single digits and no backup heat like a wood stove.
We're at 7*F this morning with a high of 13F

 

[Luv Ducks]

Thank you very much for the hint! Yes, i will wait until March, April and then also look what the big-box stores may offer. I don't want to heat the whole house with wood, just the green-house patio and that will be better insulated in the next winter. I am planning to install storm-doors and windows with real glass instead of shower curtains. Wanted to do this last summer, but everything got delayed by a dozen or more little duxlings…
Natural gas is the best way to heat the house, make hot water, cook and dry clothes. I had a gas-line installed from the furnace to the laundry room to be able to operate a gas-powered clothes-dryer. We even run the emergency generator on natural gas. I wouldn't buy a house without a gas-line!

You are most welcome Frank. We bought a house with Fuel Oil years ago. Husband at the time worked for a Propane Company and we got the propane for next to nothing. Then years later next Husband had furnace converted into Natural Gas because it finally came through to our area. I love Natural Gas and we got City water about the same time as it came through to and we hooked onto both. It makes me pay a water bill but after being on a community well for years and having to take care of it myself it was a real blessing. I watch how much water I spend on the ducks but they are fine with everything they get and seem to do well. I often times spray them with the hose when weather permits and they stand there and love it. I hope you get your patio fixed the way you want it. It sounds like it will be really nice when you are done with it.

 

[Luv Ducks]

to all the above. I can sure attest to wood heating it is really the best way especially with the way the power grides are now. In our town and some of the surrounding area power went out which isn't so good when it's single digits and no backup heat like a wood stove.
We're at 7*F this morning with a high of 13F

We are at 5F right now and the furnace just came back on. We did wood in the house for years. It was so nice and cozy. We had a wood burner hooked into the duct work in the house and it heated the whole house. I got to the point where I was tired of carrying the wood inside, going down the steps and being concerned about falling. Hubby did fall once as we would have snow on our feet and then walk on wooden finished steps onto glazed tile to get to the stove. I decided since I pay for the utilities that we would stop using wood in the house. He still uses it in his shop and large shed he just built. Wood heat is the warmest however and I miss the warmth but enjoy not falling down steps.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thankfully we don't have to carry wood down steep steps I just have to make sure I have on my ice cleats to get it from the wood shed to the back door.

 

[Muscovy Wunda]

@shawluvsbirds I got myself a little Cayuga duck her name is Olive and she is 4 yrs old and so cute
She came with her best friend Daisy who is a Runner also 4 yrs old. I am in LUV
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Cuties!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

We're at 3 this morning with wind chills -15F I lost my tiny OEGB hen yesterday to this horrid weather. I have a tiny Cochin bantam inside too. I am pretty sure she'll make it now.
I am ready for spring anyone else?

 

[Luv Ducks]

We're at 3 this morning with wind chills -15F I lost my tiny OEGB hen yesterday to this horrid weather. I have a tiny Cochin bantam inside too. I am pretty sure she'll make it now.
I am ready for spring anyone else?

For sure I am ready for Spring and I am sad that you lost your little one. Hopefully and prayerfully the rest of your flock stays safe. I have been fortunate that all of mine so far are making it through this.

 

[Canadian Wind]

We're at 3 this morning with wind chills -15F I lost my tiny OEGB hen yesterday to this horrid weather. I have a tiny Cochin bantam inside too. I am pretty sure she'll make it now.
I am ready for spring anyone else?

*BIG BIG HUGS* I'm so sorry! We finally made it through this cold snap over here (I'm sure there will be others), although it was nowhere near as bad as what some others had. So many of my BYC friends have lost birds. It's heartbreaking.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thanks, Chris it is heartbreaking.

I would imagine there would be deaths due to this awful weather.
How are all your birds?

 

[ShrekDawg]

Hi