fuzzi's "Gardens and Chickens...and Goats? Oh My!" Journal and More Thread

[farmerjan]

After her meds Esther had a soak, about ten minutes this time. I applied the coconut oil again in her vent area, then loosely wrapped her in a towel. She started gobbling down some coconut oil (solid) that I had on a piece of wax paper, she ate quite a bit, then beak-wiped my sweater.

And went to sleep on my lap.

Eating the solidified coconut oil might act like giving cats some oil to help pass hair balls?????

 

[fuzzi]

Eating the solidified coconut oil might act like giving cats some oil to help pass hair balls?????

Could be. She's not getting enough to eat, needs the calories.

 

[fuzzi]

First thing this morning Esther ate a couple pieces of grape and drank a little. I gave her half a calcium tablet.

Looking closer to normal...

When I took her outside, opened the carrier door, she bolted out, then over to the waterer. She picked at the crumble mash I made with beef drippings, other hens wolfed it down.

But when I tossed a whole collard plant in the run, she was the first one over, and started stuffing the leaves down her beak.

She appears to be feeling better.

 

[fuzzi]

We're still expecting ice, but less that previously forecast, about .25"

I saw a hack, somewhere online, of adding to chicken waterers small water/soda bottles with SALTED water inside. It is supposed to help prevent freezing. I'm willing to try.

Each hoop coop has a 5 gallon cup waterer plus a rubber tub. In very cold weather I bring warm water outside, break and dump the frozen water, then refill the tubs. It works pretty well.

I'll bring Esther inside again if she's not roosting with the others. It's going to be too cold for her to roost alone, especially since she's not 100% yet. I have a small wire crate that I picked up secondhand last year. I put WD40 on the slightly rusted hardware. It would give her more room if I have to keep her inside for longer periods. I still have Cleo's pee pads, washed and put away. I can use those to keep my carpeting from getting nasty.

Today I went to Aldi's for salt, but the shelves were bare. Came home instead with pork chops (on sale-a slowcooker meal tomorrow), a pound of sliced turkey, and a half gallon of milk. I don't drink milk, but I am planning on baking bread tomorrow.

I found salt at Food Lion about 50% more expensive, but at least I got it. I looked at their meat, and was disgusted. Too bad, they used to have good meat.

Feral cat shelters have been cleaned out, fresh straw added.

Thinking of trying tarp solutions for ice, covering my car and half the wooden steps.

Time to go check on Esther...

 

[farmerjan]

We use some salt water jugs in the big cattle water troughs... salt water freezes at colder temps, so they are not as "cold" as the surrounding water... plus the cows will nose them so they bob in the water and help to keep it more open. Doesn't work here, when it gets down in the low teens/single digits...but it might work for you... we use 1/2 c salt in a 3/4 gal water in a jug....
Leave your windshield wipers up and folded out from the windshield... hang an old shower curtain or something over the door/window on the drivers side to cover the handle and lock... so you can get in it... then starting and warming the car will take care of the ice on the windshield...loosen it so you can scrape it if nothing else... Not like you have to go to work or anything...

 

[canesisters]

We use some salt water jugs in the big cattle water troughs... salt water freezes at colder temps, so they are not as "cold" as the surrounding water... plus the cows will nose them so they bob in the water and help to keep it more open. Doesn't work here, when it gets down in the low teens/single digits...but it might work for you... we use 1/2 c salt in a 3/4 gal water in a jug....
Leave your windshield wipers up and folded out from the windshield... hang an old shower curtain or something over the door/window on the drivers side to cover the handle and lock... so you can get in it... then starting and warming the car will take care of the ice on the windshield...loosen it so you can scrape it if nothing else... Not like you have to go to work or anything...

I had never thought of covering the door, thanks. The other day I tried ALL the doors and managed to finally get in the front passenger one to get the key in & start warming up. About halfway to work warning dings started going off... then the dome light flickering on-off. It took me much longer than it should have to realize that one of the back doors was unlatched JUST enough to trigger the alarm & light everytime I hit a bump or turned/ changed lanes!!!!

 

[fuzzi]

We use some salt water jugs in the big cattle water troughs... salt water freezes at colder temps, so they are not as "cold" as the surrounding water... plus the cows will nose them so they bob in the water and help to keep it more open. Doesn't work here, when it gets down in the low teens/single digits...but it might work for you... we use 1/2 c salt in a 3/4 gal water in a jug....
Leave your windshield wipers up and folded out from the windshield... hang an old shower curtain or something over the door/window on the drivers side to cover the handle and lock... so you can get in it... then starting and warming the car will take care of the ice on the windshield...loosen it so you can scrape it if nothing else... Not like you have to go to work or anything...

It's more like 1/2 cup salt in 1/2 gallon of water. I added fresh water in the tubs until the level matched the water level in the jug.

I'll let you know how it works.

 

[fuzzi]

It's COLD, 29° but wind chill is 11°.

Esther is outside, more active than she's been, though not as much as the other hens are. She ate a little while inside, but ate the egg/cheese/BOSS mix when I tossed it in the coop.

Pork chops and sauerkraut are in the slow cooker. Bread is on first rise. I hardboiled eggs, half which were good enough to pickle. They're in the refrigerator in pickled beet brine. The other eggs will be egg salad later, or maybe chopped and fed to the chickens.

Anyone else "get cooking" in adverse weather?

 

[canesisters]

It's COLD, 29° but wind chill is 11°.

Esther is outside, more active than she's been, though not as much as the other hens are. She ate a little while inside, but ate the egg/cheese/BOSS mix when I tossed it in the coop.

Pork chops and sauerkraut are in the slow cooker. Bread is on first rise. I hardboiled eggs, half which were good enough to pickle. They're in the refrigerator in pickled beet brine. The other eggs will be egg salad later, or maybe chopped and fed to the chickens.

Anyone else "get cooking" in adverse weather?

I usually do. But this time I've been so busy getting the ' B&B ' ready for Dad..... & have spent way too much panic buying easy and fast Storm Food.
Although a big pot of ham & beans with a huge pan of cornbread would be sooo nice.

 

[fuzzi]

I usually do. But this time I've been so busy getting the ' B&B ' ready for Dad..... & have spent way too much panic buying easy and fast Storm Food.
Although a big pot of ham & beans with a huge pan of cornbread would be sooo nice.

Do it!