Well, Edie doesn't seem to think it's very cold.... thanks to her thick wool sweater, she's convinced it's a warm sunny day in the Tropics.
Winter has officially arrived, bringing some veeery cold temperatures to our little corner of the world. With lows in the single digits and highs no where near above freezing, the only thing I accomplished this week was breaking the ice out of all the waterers every hour so the critters have something to drink. A nearly impossible task, seeing as how I wouldn't even finish making the rounds before they were frozen again... *sigh*
I'm so thankful for our little wood stove and some good dry firewood- we haven't needed the electric heat pump at all this week. It is really a blessing not only for saving on our electric bill and keeping the whole house nice and toasty, but also because it warms the hardwood floor around it.
(Ahhh... VERY nice...)
The cold temperatures have been hard on the chickens too... egg production has slowed down for the Rhode Island Red girls, and Sarge and the rest of the green eggers have stopped altogether. The shorter days also have something to do with it- less sunlight makes their little egg factories shut down. One of my Rhode Island Red hens has me a little concerned... she's been acting sickly and her comb is turning dark on the tips like it's frostbitten. I put her in Intensive Care (the laundry room) for a couple of nights to make sure she stayed warm.
She also got fed very well, and I think she kind of liked the extra attention- she flew up on my arm this morning as if to say, "you ARE taking me inside again tonight, aren't you? Huh?"
Maybe I need to talk to Hubby about installing a heat pump inside the Chickie Chalet......
Or, maybe not.
Today is errand day for me so I'll be heading out soon...
They're calling for snow this weekend and I want to get an early start fighting the masses at the grocery store for that last jug of milk and loaf of bread on the shelf. *giggle*
They're calling for snow this weekend and I want to get an early start fighting the masses at the grocery store for that last jug of milk and loaf of bread on the shelf. *giggle*
Happy Friday, everybody!!
Oh my goodness and bless her heart...she is saying take me in or knit me a hoodie from the sheep wool.
ReplyDeleteYour fire looks so wonderful and cozy, perfect for sitting in front of having some hot chocolate.
My friend had a parrot house outside, she raised small parrots. They made an insulation wrap for their parrot house. Their house was about the size of yours but the cage part was smaller. They put a heat lame in there too. That was so long ago, I had no idea how she did that. I am wondering if it was something like what they wrap hot water heaters now with? It kept the parrot area in the high
60s, anything below 50 is not good for them.
I read even Fl is getting hit hard. Her in GA its COLD! 20 degrees below where we should be. It will go up to 50 for a few days but in the low 20s at night. Last night the weather man said it was going to get worse...we are in for more artic blast OUCH!
Take care of you all and stay warm. I so love your farm.
Happy Friday to you, too Paula...
ReplyDeleteI love your wood stove.. I hope your chickens faire well....lol..
God bless...
Your fire place sure does look warm and cozy. I wish we had one so I could cuddle up and read a good book.
ReplyDeleteIt has been nice here the last 2 days but they are calling for freezing rain then snow for the weekend.Blaaah
I sure do hope that your little chick will be herself soon. If it is that cold I don't blame her for wanting to inside.LOL
Have a great day.
Good Morning Paula! We're very cold in Florida this morning. Down in the 20's last night, got up to a heavy frost this am. Hope your chicken girls stay warm.
ReplyDeleteYour fire looks so cozy:) We have a good foot of snow on the ground here and it is still snowing! I hope it ends soon, enough is enough;)
ReplyDeleteHummmm...I think I Would install a heater...or something. Poor little hen!Lol
ReplyDeleteNot nuts about snow either! Can you tell?Hahaaa...
Stay warm sweetie!!
hughugs
It is certainly a blessing to have a wood stove on these freezing days!
ReplyDeleteThere is nothing that can warm you up and take the chill off a room, like a roaring fire in the wood stove :)
I don't know how cold your temps get; in our part of Utah, we get down to minus 15 degrees or lower for weeks at a time.
My sweet husband will put a little vaseline on the 'girls' combs and hang a drop light in the coop.
It seems to make all the difference in the world. Hopefully, you will find the solution and your 'girls' will be just fine :)
Have a great weekend, and stay warm:)
These days are hard work, but there is something so satisfying about the work involved in keeping frozen water troughs broken up and hauling firewood in that adds that extra "ahhhhhhhh !" as we finally get to sit in front of the wood-stove warming our tootsies.
ReplyDeleteHappy winter, Merry Christmas~
p.s. I don't blame your little hen one bit for wanting to stay in the laundry room, but that chickie chalet looks awfully nice too.
It's good the sheep have all that wool to keep them warm. It's really turned cold here, too. They are predicting snow this weekend here, too.
ReplyDeleteYour fire looks so cozy. There's no heat any warmer or better than a wood heater. Stay warm.
My mama is doing well now. Thanks for all your prayers and good thoughts.
If I had a farm it would have to be as neat and tidy as yours. I love it! Everything always looks so perfect. I love the wood stove and would love to sit there and knit warming my toes. Take good care of that chicken now and I will see you next time.
ReplyDeleteThat wood stove looks sooooooo cozy and warm!!!!! If I were a chick, I'd find a way in and just snuggle down near there!!!! It's been cold here in Florida, too. . . at least, cold for US. But it just seems right for this time of year and for baking cookies, etc. Love that chicken chalet!!!!!
ReplyDeleteLove your chicken house! Your fireplace looks so warm and cozy and I can just imagine that chicken flying up asking to come in!!
ReplyDeleteBRRR that is cold. Here in south Texas, we have just hit freezing a night or two. Today was short-sleeve weather again! I got my first Americauna egg today! I was SO excited!
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Lorilee
We have tile floor in our house, the fire heats that up real nice! Right now we're getting a pineapple express, but a few weeks earlier we had similar weather to you.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I've been doing the same watering thing all week and now they say it's just going to get colder with the snow coming over here also.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas!
Aww! that woodstove looks so inviting! When I was a teenager we had a Buck stove and it would heat our 2 story old house. Was so warm upstairs. Mom would put a pot'a beans on it and cook them all day. Good memories.
ReplyDeleteI guess ya'll will be getting winter weather later today and tomorrow. Suppose to start here as rain/sleet then turn to snow. I dont' think the weather man really knows what will happen. Guess we'll know when we see it.
Blessings
Patty H.
The fire looks so toasty warm and cheery. Bet you love the smell of burning wood, too. Hope all the chickens stay warm and safe during the cold spells!
ReplyDeleteIt's freezing cold here too and we have been getting by with our little gas stove working overtime, until these past few days! BRRRRRRRR!!!! Keep warm my friend! I'm sending you my love!
ReplyDeletePaula I LOVE YOUR CHICKEN HOUSE!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI have learned so much about chickens from you. I think the heater in the winter is a good idea for the droopy combs...
ReplyDeleteWe are getting cold weather tomorrow and I am actually looking for to it since I have two new pairs of wool socks. I can see this knitting thing is coming in handy! Stay warm by the stove. It really does remind me of my husband's grandparents wood stove in the corner of their kitchen. You could cook like a egg if you sat too close to it.
Stay toastie!
I can sure see why Edie is nice and warm! I don't blame your hen for wanting to stay inside, if at all possible. I think my chickens are probably very cold too! I'm glad we've had a little warmer temps than you, at least we've been in the 40s.
ReplyDeleteOh, stay warm! We are in the 70's here and I have been told we are due a drought this season. Blessings,Kathleen
ReplyDeleteYou look like you are staying as warm as your lambies with your wonderful wood stove. Hope things warm up outside for you soon.
ReplyDeleteDebbie
Glad you're staying nice and toasty. I'm amazed by how clean it is around your wood stove. I can't seem to keep the wood chips and dust bunnies cleaned up around our fireplace.
ReplyDeleteHope you beat the "snow run" at the grocery store. lol
Hi Paula, I love your wood stove and your pretty floors. We had unexpected icing on our roads yesterday. Thankfully we do not have to get out. I hope you and your lovely animals are staying snug and I wish you many blessings this Christmas and in the New Year!
ReplyDeleteI really miss having a fire place. We were advised by our insurance company not to put on e in when we built the barn because it would cause a big increase in our coverage..
ReplyDeleteI have thought about putting in an old wood burning stove with a vent into a green house though .. as not to need electricity.
Hi there...baby it is cold outside here too! We have a heater in our animals water so that keeps it thawed mostly. I love having a fire going too, we have a pellet stove and have not even used the furnace yet. I love it that your chicken jumped into your arms to get you to take it inside...animals are so smart! You have a great Christmas my friend! ;D
ReplyDeletePaula, I just love your home and your farm. You should write a book...How about knitting little sweaters for the chickens? You've got the wool..(Hoho)
ReplyDeleteYes, the little bird I'm holding is a Downy woodpecker. Is he sweet or what??
Love, Debra
Paula, we had some icing here at my house, more in other areas. I think it was just so scattered arouond. But it has cleared up, was surprised that the snow that was in my yard this morning when I left was gone when I got back home.
ReplyDeleteTake care, stay warm.
Patty H
Thanks for your visit to Bible Question and Answers. I am learning as I post and it is a great way for me to share the Word.
ReplyDeleteI love your blog and like to read about life on the farm.
I've always thought a woodstove would be wonderful. My brother had one in a house he lived in quite a few years ago, and it was so warm. The ones I see on Norwegian blogs are so different looking from the ones here, but they must be good, considering those cold winters.
ReplyDeleteWe still have our kitten inside. He's got his eye on our tree :-)
Blessings,
Marcia
Paula, your house is so warm and wonderful. Love your woodstove and it's a dream of ours to one day have something like it.
ReplyDeleteA heat pump in the chickie chalet? lolol Well why not? lol The cold weather really can be hard on them can't it. Our donkeys, really don't have that much hair on them yet. Bet Edie loves beeing a woolsie in this weather.
Have a wonderful Christmas dear gal!
Hi Ms Paula,
ReplyDeleteI just love that wood stove!
Poor little chickies all cold outside!
I had a friend in Orange County that her husband was complaining to me that she made him install a A/C on their dog house so the dogs would be cool during the day while they were at work......so a heater for the chickens doesn't surprise me at all!!
Merry Christmas to the Fraker Farm!
Hugs, Ann
First time reading your blog.I like that chicken chalet!!!!! Did you all build it yourself. How many chickens do you have and what kind? I'm "thinking" about getting a few myself.
ReplyDelete