Raising Chickens

[paradisePWoffrd]

I use vacuum waterers like this. The water in the tray will freeze, but if it's in the sun it thaws out quick. I'll have to break it if we get a super cold week, but normally its just frozen overnight.

 

[JSJJ388]

I use vacuum waterers like this. The water in the tray will freeze, but if it's in the sun it thaws out quick. I'll have to break it if we get a super cold week, but normally its just frozen overnight.

Any particular reason you went with those over a heated unit?

 

[Loganwayne]

Any particular reason you went with those over a heated unit?

You don’t really need a heated one for our climate. If you can get 4-5 hrs of sun a day on it. It won’t stay frozen. It takes 3-4 of below freezing temps for a water that size to freeze solid.


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[JSJJ388]

You don’t really need a heated one for our climate. If you can get 4-5 hrs of sun a day on it. It won’t stay frozen. It takes 3-4 of below freezing temps for a water that size to freeze solid.


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Ours has been frozen solid 2 days in a row now, but it is in the coop. With 10 birds now, figured we'd get a second, heated one.

 

[paradisePWoffrd]

Any particular reason you went with those over a heated unit?

I don't have power near my coop, and it gets moved around the yard.

If you do, there are heated ones that can be "unplugged" and used year round. There are also heat trace tape,or heat plate/pads to put under them.

I went out today and there was ~1" of ice in the bottom. I broke it up, but there was enough water mixed in for them to drink. They also don't drink near as much water in the winter.

I also have the steel version as well. The freeze up much faster than the plastic ones.

I have a love-hate relationship with the vacuum waterers. I've used the cup drinkers too and they were kind of a pain.

Keeping the water moving can also help down to a certain temp.

 

[DSM Turbos]

I just use a light bulb on a smart switch that automatically comes on at 32 degrees and shuts off when it rises. It is just enough heat to keep it from freezing unless it’s really cold for days

 

[awheelterd]

I have my water in a big basin, probably 20" dia, 8" deep. Like an old wash pan. It doesn't freeze as bad as the little waterers. I also have ducks and they don't care a thing in the world about the cold, so they keep the ice broken up pretty well.

 

[JSJJ388]

Got our first "pretty" egg today.

Went out later and found 3 more brown ones.

 

[YJJPWrangler]

Sadly we lost one of our Easter Eggers to "egg bound". She had never laid before and the wife saw her in the nesting box last Saturday morning and commented to me that Charlotte was "pooping an egg". I found her dead as a doornail at 830PM when I went to go put them up. Apparently for first time layers, if they get stressed(etc) they can become egg bound and get the egg stuck in them. They then freak out and basically give themselves a stroke or heart attack from the stress. Only way to fix this is to diagnose it correctly during the first 30mins and then give them a warm bath... So I got to dig a grave at 930pm in the pitch black

So down to 5 now, Still getting eggs from our other 3. Our other easter egger hasn't produced one in a month but I just checked the box tonight and she had.

Looking to add some silkies in the spring months if anyone has a line on some pullets/already laying hens.

 

[JSJJ388]

Coop and run were purty this morning. Birds didn't care for the snow.

 

[PAT Ventures]

Looking to add some silkies in the spring months if anyone has a line on some pullets/already laying hens.

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This is my sister in law. Lives south east of Greensboro. She should have some eggs & chicks in the spring. She's got chickens I've never seen or heard of before. Facepage is the only direct link I have to her.

 

[paradisePWoffrd]

Sadly we lost one of our Easter Eggers to "egg bound". She had never laid before and the wife saw her in the nesting box last Saturday morning and commented to me that Charlotte was "pooping an egg". I found her dead as a doornail at 830PM when I went to go put them up. Apparently for first time layers, if they get stressed(etc) they can become egg bound and get the egg stuck in them. They then freak out and basically give themselves a stroke or heart attack from the stress. Only way to fix this is to diagnose it correctly during the first 30mins and then give them a warm bath... So I got to dig a grave at 930pm in the pitch black

So down to 5 now, Still getting eggs from our other 3. Our other easter egger hasn't produced one in a month but I just checked the box tonight and she had.

Looking to add some silkies in the spring months if anyone has a line on some pullets/already laying hens.

Saw someone on FB with some for sale. Look up Iredell/Catawba Chicken Chat or something like that. We have 3 silkies. They are neat, and we have them away from the rest, but they dont lay many eggs. Seems like one of them is constantly wanting to go broody.

 

[JSJJ388]

Got our nesting boxes started. I need to get some hinges and make the roof raise up. Also need to make a ledge on the inside. But its a start.

Also put out some ceramic eggs, for two reasons. First, to get them used to the boxes. Second, we've apparently got a egg eater. We also got some oyster shells.

 

[skyhighZJ]

Oyster shells will help. Also, put a small lip in the front (entrance) to the nesting box or all those pine shavings will be in the floor. Those damn wimens are messy lol

 

[JSJJ388]

Thanks. I'll probably put the board on tomorrow, I need to put one at the door as well as we are looking shavings there.

I've really had fun building this setup almost entirely out of repurposed junk. We've only spent s few hundred dollars total. Bought the wire and 4x4s, and then the plexiglass glass. Everything else is "repurposed".

 

[JSJJ388]

 

[JSJJ388]

Does anybody use a water bar or cup watering system? Our coop is a ways from the house and with a toddler and pregnant wife hauling water out there is starting to be a pain. I was given a plastic barrel (had soap in it) so I was wondering what some good options are. I pitched running water out to the shop, but that didn't fly lol.

 

[awheelterd]

Does anybody use a water bar or cup watering system? Our coop is a ways from the house and with a toddler and pregnant wife hauling water out there is starting to be a pain. I was given a plastic barrel (had soap in it) so I was wondering what some good options are. I pitched running water out to the shop, but that didn't fly lol.

I never ask my wife what she thinks of my projects before I start them.

 

[awheelterd]

Does anybody use a water bar or cup watering system? Our coop is a ways from the house and with a toddler and pregnant wife hauling water out there is starting to be a pain. I was given a plastic barrel (had soap in it) so I was wondering what some good options are. I pitched running water out to the shop, but that didn't fly lol.

My coop is only 70 ft from my house and I still plan to run a line out there. Toting buckets sucks and dragging a water hose out there every few days equally sucks.

 

[JSJJ388]

I never ask my wife what she thinks of my projects before I start them.

A project like that, yea ill ask. She handles the financials (of course its all discussed but she does all the bill paying) its just not in the picture right now. Mainly because if im digging a ditch out there im going to bury power, water, and a chase all at once.

 

[awheelterd]

A project like that, yea ill ask. She handles the financials (of course its all discussed but she does all the bill paying) its just not in the picture right now. Mainly because if im digging a ditch out there im going to bury power, water, and a chase all at once.

All my wife knows about our finances is that her card doesn't get declining

 

[willness33]

I use one of those buckets with the little clicker things on it for water. Keeps their water clean and they don't end up wasting water by fouling it. Water bar would be essentially the same deal. I think it took the girls a day to figure it out the clickers and I haven't looked back.

 

[JSJJ388]

My coop is only 70 ft from my house and I still plan to run a line out there. Toting buckets sucks and dragging a water hose out there every few days equally sucks.

Yea thats why I'm looking into something thats a little more self contained.

 

[JSJJ388]

All my wife knows about our finances is that her card doesn't get declining

Ha, im nearly the same way lol. As long as the power and internet are on and my card works, I dont bug her.

 

[JSJJ388]

I use one of those buckets with the little clicker things on it for water. Keeps their water clean and they don't end up wasting water by fouling it. Water bar would be essentially the same deal. I think it took the girls a day to figure it out the clickers and I haven't looked back.

Came across these.

Seems line they would be cleaner than the cups.