silky cockeral – Page 4

How to Fix a Heated Water Base Which is Too Hot

November 17, 2017December 1, 2018 by vjppoultry, posted in New Silkies

Last fall I purchased eight new heated water bases to be used under galvanized waterers in order to keep my water from freezing in the chicken coop. I began to notice that the water was alway spilling over and making a wet mess of the pine shaving bedding. This seemed strange because the water never overflowed in the summer. I ended up buying pizza trays to place under the metal waterers. This was successful but the pizza trays had to be drained off every day which was extra work.

Then I began to notice that the water was beginning to become very warm – hot even. I could see the steam cloud raising up from the waterer when ever I changed out the water. I put my finger in the water and it was like very hot bath water. I figured that the water was around 100 degrees F. The water should have been between 32 F and and 45 F.

Chickens do not like to drink hot water. They wouldn’t wait until I changed out the water and then they would descend on the cooler water. There wasn’t an empty spot all the way around the waterer when the cool water was added to it.

As the water was heated, the water expanded and was forced over the rim. This created the situation with the wet bedding which had to be replaced. This would happen every time new water was added.

I did a little research and read some reviews of the product. I noticed that quite a few people were having the exact same problem that I was having – overheated water and water expanding and spilling out.

Dennis troubleshooted the situation and found that the snap disc thermostat was defective which was causing the base to operate at too high of temperature. He purchased new snap disc thermostats that turn on at 32 F and off at 45 F. You actually can buy the thermostats at different temperatures but these are the correct ones for the water bases.

Here are the steps for replacing the thermostats:

Flip the Heated base over.
Us a cordless drill to drill out the pop rivets holding the back plate on. Be sure to mark the placement because we found the holes to be an uneven distance from each other.
Pry off the back cover with something like a screw driver.
. Unplug the connections to the thermostat.
Remove the rivets to the thermostat with a cordless drill.
Take out the old thermostat and replace it with the new one. Ours had a red casing.
Fasten the new thermostat with new pop rivets using a pop rivet gun.
Connect the wires back up to the new thermostat.
Using aluminum pop rivets, fasten the protective back cover on the pan. Use the pop rivet gun to do this.
The little pop rivets go in each hole on the back side.
End of repair. I originally purchased two different brands of heated bases. The Farm Innovators we purchased worked great and we did not have to repair them. The other brand had to have all of its thermostats replaced. All appliances wear out sooner or later. It’s nice to be able to repair instead of having to replace. .For tips and tricks for raising outstanding silkies check out our Chicken Learning Center at VJPPoultry.com . VJP Poultry is an NPIP and state inspected hatchery located 30 miles north of St. Paul. We hatch out silkies all year long so we always have stock available. Like us on Facebook to get weekly updates on what we currently have for sale.
Victoria J. Peterson

Tips For Winterizing Your Chicken Run

November 9, 2017May 19, 2020 by vjppoultry, posted in New Silkies

Now that it is colder outside, you may find that your chickens are spending more of their time inside the coop. If you do not have a chicken run that is set up for colder temperatures, they may be choosing to snuggle up where it is warmer. The problem with that is that chickens need fresh air and exercise. They will be hardier and healthier if they spend part of their day outside in the run.

Here in Minnesota it can get quite cold in the winter. Always start with a hardy breed of chicken. It should be one that has small combs and wattles. Silkies are ideal for cold areas. Not only do they have small walnut combs and almost nonexistent wattles, they also have feathering on their feet to help keep their legs warmer.

Silkies are tolerant of the cold but they must be protected from wet and wind. Enclosing your run with plastic wrap or a tarp can help to block wind and prevent snow and rain from entering the run. Most chickens do not like walking in snow. The plastic will keep the snow from entering the run. Then you will not need to spend time shoveling out the run every time it snows.

We are trying a new kind of plastic this year Instead of using plastic that comes on a roll, we ordered clear tarps that have built in grommet holes. The tarp also has lines running through it to keep the tarp stronger and to keep it from ripping in the wind.

We placed eye hooks in the wood along the bottom of the run. The grommet holes fit into the hooks and secure the tarp. We then use ball bungee cords at the top to fasten the tarp down. Hopefully this clear tarp can be easily taken down and put up for many years to come. We also use zip ties where needed to keep the tarps secure.

You do not need to cover the entire run. The North and West sides are the most important to cover as this will provide the best wind and snow block. You need some holes for ventilation. I leave the doors uncovered so that air can move in and out.

A spacious run gives chickens personal space and exercise opportunities. Boredom can be a problem in the wintertime. This can lead to behavior problems such as feather picking and egg eating.

You can use plywood, tarps or even bales of hay or straw to block the wind, but clear plastic is best. This lets the sun shine through and keeps the run bright. It will warm the inside of it just like a greenhouse would. In the Spring, just take it down, fold it up and store it out of the way until next year.

You could provide an outside shelter in your run such as a small dog house. Use straw inside of it to keep your chickens warm. Straw hold more warmth because it traps warm air in its shaft. Use some of that straw to create paths for chickens to walk on. Laying down straw is often easier than trying to shovel the snow out of the run. The straw will make it warmer on their feet.

I like to provide something for them to perch on inside the run. We have pea rock in our run which can become cold on their feet in the winter. Silkies do not need very high perches. We just lay a few 2 X 4 boards down for them. They love to perch on these boards when it is cold. You could also use logs or stumps for them to stand on.

Set up a dust bathing area for them in the wintertime. Since most of their regular dusting areas are now under snow, you could make a new spot by purchasing some dust bathing materials and putting them in a kitty litter box.

Provide energy treats for your birds that they can only get if they venture outside in the run. These could be BOSS sunflower seeds or cracked corn. The more time that they spend outside, the less messy the inside of your coop will be.

It is important to remember that birds are not mammals. They can tolerate much colder temperatures than humans. You just need to keep them dry and out of drafts or wind. Do not overheat your chickens based on how you feel. I keep the windows and doors to the coops open all winter long. If your coop is one temperature and your run another, this can lead to sickness as birds go back and forth from hot to cold temperatures.

For tips and tricks for raising outstanding silkies check out our Chicken Learning Center at VJPPoultry.com . VJP Poultry is an NPIP and state inspected hatchery located 30 miles north of St. Paul. We hatch out silkies all year long so we always have stock available. Like us on Facebook to get weekly updates on what we currently have for sale.

Victoria J. Peterson

Does a Silkie Need a Christmas Gift? 12/05/16

December 5, 2016June 27, 2020 by vjppoultry, posted in New Silkies

I have always loved this video – VJP Poultry’s- Ballet of the Unhatched Chick- because it shows chicken’s somewhat playful side. Some people refer to this as “Chicken Football” because they are all chasing after the one meal worm that someone has in its beak. Do chickens play? Do they get bored? Do they require a gift at Christmas? These are all questions people have asked about their birds.

Well, Cyber Monday is over, but there is still time to order your chickens a few treats online before December 25th. Most of the customers at VJP Poultry consider their chickens to be family pets. They lavish love and attention on their silkies and I would bet that some of them are planning a few Christmas surprises in their chicken’s stockings.

Most gifts are the kind that silkies can eat or the kind that silkies can play with. Let’s start with the chicken toys. Most of the chicken playthings are balls that can be filled with treats. The chicken pushes the ball around and treats fall out. Some of the balls are more complicated and the chicken needs to work at it to get the treats out. An example would be Lixit Chicken Toy or Peck and Play Ball .

The toy that I liked the best was the Chicken Veggie Ball .It is described as “an entertaining way to provide nutritious treats to a backyard flock”. You can put a head of lettuce or cabbage inside it and watch your flock kick it around like a soccer ball. This idea has been around for a long time. Oldsters used to tie a rope around a head of cabbage and hang it on a hook inside of the coop for the same effect. All of these toys are good boredom busters for your birds in the wintertime.

The most unusual toy was the Chicken Swing. The chicken hops on and is able to pump the swing back and forth. Probably not the best gift for a silkie as they may have a hard time jumping on , but other breeds seem to swing just fine on it.

Silkies always like special food treats. There is the Flock Block which lets them peck away and find treats of corn and seed. They are manufactured by many different companies and you should find it at your local feed store.

The treat my flock loves the best are meal worms. Real or freeze dried, they go crazy for them. I have, in the past, kept a meal worm farm going in my house. The live worms are a great source of protein and a wonderful way for you to bond with your bird. They will come running every time they see you if they think that you have worms for them in your apron pockets. You can also purchase freeze dried worms from Happy Hen Treats .

There has been a craze of late for putting chickens in sweaters and other kinds of outfits. You are not doing your chickens any favors by doing this. It will compromise their ability to self – regulate their body temperature. Best to leave the clothes off the birds unless it is Chicken Diapers for inside of the house. You can give them a little jewelry by giving them leg bands that have charms on them. If you are looking for a gift for a guy, check out Gifts For Guys Who Like Chickens. We also have Gifts For Silkie Chicken Lovers for anyone who likes silkies.

If you are interested in gifts for the Chicken Lady or for chicken loving kids or gifts for the home for chicken lovers check out our weekly silkie blog at VJPPoultry.com. We also have silkie basics at Silkie Supplies.

So, do chickens play? I think so. All animals play. I know that the chest bumping I see among juvenile silkies seems to have a very playful nature to it. Do Chickens get bored? Yes, often this will result in pecking to the extreme. Do they need Christmas gifts? That’s up to you. I know that my little silkies will be getting some nice meal worms come Christmas Eve.

Victoria J. Peterson