“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.” — Abraham Lincoln
“Action on behalf of life transforms. Because the relationship between self and the world is reciprocal, it is not a question of first getting enlightened or saved and then acting. As we work to heal the earth, the earth heals us.” ~ Robin Wall Kimmerer
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Zone 9b
The best place to pray for a good crop is at the end of a hoe!
As a general observation, I agree. However, extremes can be a threat because the birds adapt to what they're used to. Our first "heat wave" this year appeared suddenly when the overnight lows were still in the 6C range - the girls still had their winter feathers and they definitely benefited from a little help. We saw a *lot* of feathers dropped over a short period!I am no chicken expert but birds are resistant in extreme heat and cold from what I have seen, I do like to keep my girls happy though.
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“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.” — Abraham Lincoln
“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.” — Abraham Lincoln
“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.” — Abraham Lincoln
Zone 9b
“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.” — Abraham Lincoln
The original Silicon Valley hillbilly.
Bolar clay loam ph 7.4 lightened with mulch, sand and sulfur. Caliche limestone 4-12" under that, so we build up deeper with retaining walls.
Agorist, Texas Master Gardener, 0-3 zone permaculture = from slippers to cattle.
https://soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/B/BOLAR.html
Real funny, Scotty, now beam down my clothes!
Heather Sharpe wrote:My chickens are still in the brooder and I'm already worried about how they'll handle the heat once they go outdoors full time. So I totally get the worry. I have been reading about how to help them manage the heat. Most of what I read sounds like what you're already doing. But this lady, who is some kind of chicken herbalist, had some ideas I hadn't seen elsewhere. Maybe some of them will be helpful to you? Heat Stress Management
Hope your chickens stay healthy and happy in the heat and that some other folks with experience chime in!
$10.00 is a donation. $1,000 is an investment, $1,000,000 is a purchase.
"Enough" is beautiful in its simplicity.
“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.” — Abraham Lincoln
Real funny, Scotty, now beam down my clothes!
I'm not sure soaking will change the energy involved in digestion all that much, and that's where the heat's coming from, but it *absolutely will* help to keep them hydrated, and it certainly won't do them any harm. Just like humans, a huge amount of the actual "digesting" is being done by microbes in the gut - all animals/birds are really just microbe protection agencies! I suspect soaked feed compared to large seeds like corn does require less breaking down and more is likely absorbed rather than going straight through the bird, which is why soaking reduced your feed bill.Dennis Barrow wrote:I was just thinking that if it takes more for the chickens to digest regular feed, (and this warms them up), maybe soaking the food would be better for them.
Maybe I am aiding them during the hot days.
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Dennis Barrow wrote:I was just thinking that if it takes more for the chickens to digest regular feed, (and this warms them up), maybe soaking the food would be better for them.
I have been soaking their food for a couple days before giving it to them for almost 7 months now. I has cut down on $$ buying feed by almost 1/2.
Maybe I am aiding them during the hot days.
$10.00 is a donation. $1,000 is an investment, $1,000,000 is a purchase.
Real funny, Scotty, now beam down my clothes!
“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.” — Abraham Lincoln
The best place to pray for a good crop is at the end of a hoe!
When in doubt, doubt the doubt.
I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do. (E.E.Hale)
“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.” — Abraham Lincoln
Invasive plants are Earth's way of insisting we notice her medicines. Stephen Herrod Buhner
Everyone learns what works by learning what doesn't work. Stephen Herrod Buhner
This only really helps if the equipment you're using to freeze the bottles is outside - if you use your fridge freezer in the house, the fridge works harder and releases more heat into the house because that's how fridges work. We've got a freezer outside under our barn overhang, and I'm thinking of taking some ice cube trays up there to make ice if I get desperate.Anne Miller wrote:Freeze bottles of water then let your fan blow air on the bottle as they defrost. I use the gallon bottles because it takes longer for them to thaw out.
Visit Redhawk's soil series: https://permies.com/wiki/redhawk-soil
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Invasive plants are Earth's way of insisting we notice her medicines. Stephen Herrod Buhner
Everyone learns what works by learning what doesn't work. Stephen Herrod Buhner
Anne Miller wrote:My freezers are outside, too. But I have already frozen bottles in the freezer part of the fridge leftover from a previously predicted power outage and the rolling blackout from February.
$10.00 is a donation. $1,000 is an investment, $1,000,000 is a purchase.
“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.” — Abraham Lincoln
Eliminate 95% of the weeds in your lawn by mowing 3 inches or higher. Then plant tiny ads:
Freaky Cheap Heat - 2 hour movie - HD streaming
https://permies.com/wiki/238453/Freaky-Cheap-Heat-hour-movie
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