fuzzi's Chicken Journal

[fuzzi]

And here it finally comes...the first frost of the winter, one of the latest that I recall from living here. We usually get it early November or late October.

 

[Shadrach]

I don't know if I should thank you for that link. I succumbed to an email discount offer from their site.
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I refuse to be held resonsible for your lack of self control.
I have a tea towel set from the series. A gift I might add.

 

[Shadrach]

Those are sweet!!

It's strange isn't it. There is a lot of chicken related product on the market, most of doesn't appeal to me; too comic, too twee, too expensive! Sophie has in my view got it just right in my opinion.

 

[CoopBoots]

You know what would be popular around here? A chicken themed "secret santa" where people could receive unlimited chicken swag and gear without personally having to take responsibility for splurging on it

I have recently acquired that chicken-butt hanger, a nice throw, and another coffee mug. This is what happens when I can't just hatch more chickens...

 

[Wyorp Rock]

It's strange isn't it. There is a lot of chicken related product on the market, most of doesn't appeal to me; too comic, too twee, too expensive! Sophie has in my view got it just right in my opinion.

I like her stuff.

 

[fuzzi]

It's strange isn't it. There is a lot of chicken related product on the market, most of doesn't appeal to me; too comic, too twee, too expensive! Sophie has in my view got it just right in my opinion.

Those speckled chicken graphics got me.

I ordered two tea towels as well. Like the tins they were 60% off. And then the shipping didn't appear as bad.

 

[fuzzi]

Our weekend forecast is night temps dropping to ~20°F. It does sometimes get that cold here during the winter, but not usually until late December or into January. I guess I will be losing my fall crop of peas, which have just gotten into full production.
Blast.

Our first frost is on Friday followed by deep freeze on Sunday. They just amended the low to 22° on Monday, up from 19° I saw last night.

Keep the homeless in your prayers.

 

[fuzzi]

I had a thought...


I stuffed straw inside the tire base to my rubber tub waterer, and when I took off the tub to rinse and fill it recently I noticed that the straw was wet, and covered with white fungus.

If I added something else to decompose, like fresh manure, wouldn't the resulting composting warm up the base of the tub?


ETA: I was going to scrape the roosts anyway, I could add the fresh to the decomposition below the tub.

 

[NanaK]

I have noticed if straw can't dry out quickly it does tend to mold pretty fast.

Maybe if you used some leaves or pine straw possibly mixed with manure it would not mold so fast. Keep a check on it when you refill the water bowl. Change it if you start to see mold.

What's probably happening is with the bowl in the tire there is not enough air flow for it to dry out.

Some sort of closed cell foam would work well. Think pool noodles/pipe insulation. You would have to be certain the chickens could not get to it. They will eat foam like candy.

 

[1muttsfan]

I would be concerned anytime there was mold in areas where chickens were spending time, as the spoors can be very irritating to the respiratory tract.