Warm Chickens In Winter
Everyone knows to bring your dogs and cats inside when it’s cold out; it’s just common sense. If you raise other animals, they more than likely have a warm barn or shelter they can go into when Winter hits. But what about chickens? You can’t bring them in the house (though I know some people that do…). Is their coop really warm enough for them when the temperature is below freezing? Check out this post by Meredith Skyer at Backyard Chicken Project for tips on keeping them nice and toasty:
-Get the right chickens for your climate- if you live in a colder area, get a cold-hardy chicken breed.
-Insulate the coop with foam or fiberglass, then cover with plywood (so the chickens don’t pick at it)
-Provide quality roosts- make sure they are big enough so a chicken can wrap its toes under their body.
Bat House DIY
Kick things up a notch and make your yard extra spooky this Halloween by adding a bat house! They attract bats to your yard, which eat mosquitoes and other pests. Bats are extremely beneficial to your garden and the environment- plus, they’re super cute! For instructions on how to build your own bat house, check out this post by mythbstr at Hubpages:
-They should be placed 10-20 feet off the ground, away from tree limbs.
-Edges of the bat house need to be properly caulked to seal against weather.
-The box should be painted a dark color to keep the inside warm
-The average sized bat house is about 2 feet tall by 1 foot wide. The depth can vary depending on the number of chambers it contains.
Friday Fun Video: Cute Bird Feeder Idea
These are adorable if you want a whimsical look in your garden- and they use all upcycled materials!
Spring Craft Idea: Bird Feeder From A Teacup
I have a total thrift store addiction. But, I don’t really buy clothes. Whenever I go out, I always head straight for the home goods section. I love old furniture, kitchenware, kitschy décor, and pretty much anything else I can get my hands on. Right now, I have more colored glass bottles than I know what to do with, wicker baskets out the wazoo, more picture frames than pictures, and teacups. So many teacups. I always tell myself I’ll use them for something, but I can never decide what. Then, I saw this post by Jessi Wohlwend at Practically Functional! It’s a tutorial on how to turn a teacup + saucer into a totally adorable bird feeder. Check it out:
-Glue teacup to saucer using ceramic glue. Make sure the cup is at the back half of the saucer so there is room for the birdseed to “spill out” in front of the cup.
-Tie a piece of twine around the teacup handle and hang from a tree.
DIY Bird Feeders
I grew up with my Dad always keeping bird feeders at the house. There was a hummingbird feeder on the porch, and at least two feeders filled with bird seed hanging from trees in the yard. I love watching them (especially hummingbirds- they’re hilarious), and helping them out- especially in winter. For a fun indoor craft you can do with kids, check out this post by Erica at What We Do All Day for some creative DIY bird feeders:
-Pine cone bird feeder- pour melted suet onto pine cone, hang with yarn or string from tree
-Hanging orange bird feeder- Step 1. Scoop out orange halves. Step 2. Poke 3 equidistant holes. You need at least three holes to keep it from tipping easily. Step 3. Thread string or twine through the holes for hanging. Step 4. Fill with tasty bird treats. We used bird seed and cranberries.
-Paper roll bird feeder- coat a paper towel roll with shortening and roll in bird seed.
Cheap Chicken House Ideas
Last week, I went camping at my friend’s family farm. The s’mores were delicious, the weather was perfect, and the scenery was gorgeous. But, the best time I had that night was before we even got to the campsite. It was when we were visiting her mother at the house….and she introduced us to her new chickens. They were so sweet and loving- especially when you had bread to give them. The best part? They were “easter egg” chickens- and their eggs came in a rainbow of colors. Olive green, light tan, dark brown, sky blue, and pale pink– and they were absolutely delicious when cooked over a camp fire the next morning. Her mother also told me that they are expecting two new chicks sometime in December, and it took every ounce of my willpower to turn down her offer of taking them. One day though, when I have the time and the land, I will have my own chickens. And when that day comes, I’ll be ready! If you are thinking of getting chickens, read this post by Hal Gall at Hubpages for easy and cheap chicken coop ideas:
-Use recycled materials, like scrap wood
-Choose the correct size for your needs
-Always choose long lasting quality over cheap materials to get your money’s worth
-Build a fence to keep predators out
Winter Birds and How to Attract Them
Nothing cheers up an icky winter day faster than the chipper chirping of a pretty cardinal. Winter birdwatching is a great activity to do alone or with kids. Sometimes they can be a little tricky to find, though. Lots of people have different strategies for attracting these winter birds: what sort of feed to put out, what kind of feeder they’re likely to flock to, what height in the tree– the list goes on and on. But, here’s a few basics from Katie at Premeditated Leftovers:
Opt for food high in fat.
Birds are not watching their waistlines in the winter months.
Offer some refreshing water.
Birds love to drink water during the winter months just as they do during the summer
Offer some rent free housing.
Birds love a warm place to lay their heads just like we do. In the winter, that can be hard to find.
Once you get the hang of it, you can fine tune your own strategy and see all the birds you could ever want!
Wordless Wednesday: Rustic Birdfeeder Inspiration
How Cold is it Where You Are
This has been one of the coldest winters I’ve lived through in my 50 years. And snowy. My brother the scientist explains the snow and global warming in that where the temperature has increased worldwide, more water evaporates. That water absorbed in the atmosphere must have a place to eventually go … therefore more snow and more rain.
Of course, it’s still cold but of course that’s because our Earth still turns and when one part is further from the sun, it’ll be colder. So… how cold is it where you are? DJD of In Our Backyard shows how cold it is there,
If you take a good look toward the back of the bird bath you’ll see something interesting. The ice, which is usually just a flat sheet, has what looks like ripples in it and it’s actually flowing up over the back edge. The only explanation I can come up with is this. As the ice was forming, the wind was constantly blowing water toward the back of the bird bath which then froze in place.
Brrrrr….