Winter Prep

Before I left for Portland last week, I had to take care of some winter preparation for the birds - Snow was coming!

My neighbor had agreed to pick up eggs and make sure the turkeys didn't run out of food, so that wasn't an issue. The problem was the mid-20's temps that were predicted. I have 2 heated bases for waterers, but you can't use plastic water fonts on them. I had acquired a couple of 3 gal. metal fonts at a feed store closing, but the turkeys were going through 7 gal. of water in about 2 days - I was to be gone for 5.

I have two 8 gal. metal fonts, and the two 3 gal. and assorted plastic fonts. I have 4 pens and 2 heated bases... How was I going to make this work?

The ducks got their 50 gallon stock tank cleaned out, the waterer removed from their pen (one of the 8 gallon ones), and a ramp up to the stock tank. I wasn't sure they were actually getting in there, and since this would be their water source, I decided to make sure they could. The duck is much smaller than the drake, and I wasn't sure she could get up to it, even standing on her tippy-toes!

The peafowl got a heated base and a 3 gal. metal font. They are very, very thrifty birds. They go through about 3 gallons in a week and I fill their feeder even less than that!

The chickens got one of the 8 gallon metal fonts on a heated base, along with their 7 gal. plastic one set out where the sun could hit it and perhaps melt any ice that developed. They also got one of the 3 gallon metal fonts as a back up.

The turkeys got a new heated base, one of the 8 gallon metal fonts, and 4 other fonts, a mixture of plastic and metal - 21 gallons available, all told.

The reason this is such a pain is that there is only one faucet for outside water, and it's in the pumphouse. With the weather freezing, there would be filling of waterers and then draining of hoses to be done. I didn't want my neighbor to have to deal with all the walking up and down the hill (she's in very good shape, but it's just a bother).

After returning home early because of a 2nd snow storm predicted to hit on Monday (which it did), I'm now, a week later, finally having to fill waterers again. Since the turkeys' date with destiny is Tuesday, I'll take all the extra ones out of their pen, and go back down to the single, heated one. Everyone else will continue with what they have.

Some gratuitous turkey pictures:

Mr. Big

Mr. Almost Big

some of the flock

The project that I wasn't planning...

When I moved in, I was told that I could use about 6 x 8 of a 8 x 16 shed. There was a tarp dividing "my" area from that used by the landlord for stuff that he basically had abandoned. Since I have lots of tools, and need to have a place for the feed, I had asked that it be cleaned out. Back in August, my landlord and his helper came and got some of the stuff out, but said they'd come back and get the rest. However, 2 months have passed, and nothing had been done, so I called, and got his wife (he was in town) - she promised to get him right over to get it done!

I now have the use of the full shed. I have installed 2 shop lights, my air compressor is home, and I still need to move the feed out of the trailer. However, I have a deadline - The Portland Handweaver's Guild Sale is next weekend, and I have a space. I have gotten new dye, more fiber and yarn, and need to get some dyeing done.

The weather has been blustery, and I didn't want to set up the dye production line outside. So... I set it up in the shed! With the lights, I can work later after the time changes tonight, and it's out of the weather, should the gray skies produce something. I'm also out of the wind!

The roaster (steamer), dyes and plastic roll go on the smaller table - the dyeing happens on the big table. I can take it down when I'm done, and store the tables on the opposite wall. The feed trash cans will actually go where the big table is, but I can still set it up on the other side if I need to. I'm really excited to have this space available!

I'll be drying things in front of the wood stove, but that's actually pretty efficient. Tomorrow, I'll start dyeing first thing, and I should be able to get it done in one day. With the lights, if I get up too early, I'll start then!!

Picture, as promised

Here is a picture of Laura and I (I'm in front on Tang) heading out to our obstacle, after backtracking up and down hills, which is why Tang is so sweaty!! This was taken on Friday, 10/26/12, at the ACTHA ride at Brasada Ranch in Powell Butte, OR.

On Facebook, a friend commented that Tang was the "Great Red Hoover" - that she is...

We were called "Laura Squared" - Laura's mare is a Welsh Cob, who has lived her life in an arena. She had never tied to a tree until this day. Laura was a bit worried, but I told her that Tang would just stand there, and it would be fine. After all her exertions, Tang took a nap, and Chloe was a very good girl.