This is NOT fun at all

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Margaid

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We had 4 inches of snow last night and today we have had a bitterly cold east wind with snow, then rain and now snow again. The hens have hardly ventured out of the houses all day and when I went to shut them up the power cable for the electric netting fell apart. OH has gone away for the weekend so isn't here to apply his skills to it. I have ascertained that the inner cable has rusted through - maybe putting sleeve over it so I didn't get an electric shock was not such a good idea. I've closed it but will have to reply on the henhouses alone to keep the birds safe. Both of them are off the ground and the Legbars have netting around the base of theirs. The Leghonrns have each laid an egg today but nothing from any of the others. It's absolutely treacherous underfoot. The field looks almost like mediaeval ridge and furrow when you can see it - in the snow you find you're on the edge of a "furrow" when your foot slides away from you.

I also have the 1 year old feral female cat in the carrier alongside me. We managed to catch her and take her to the vet to be spayed this morning just in time as she and one of the toms were performing last night. I'm suppose to keep her in for two days - I doubt she'll stay in for two minutes once I open the carrier. I don't know when she will be fully recovered from the anaesthetic so I'm worried about her going outside.

and still it snows.
 
Went down to the enclosure again this evening Margaid to catch the evening sun. Another bottle of wine €1.60. Chickens love it and Lucy sunbathing again. Basils eye open but his spurs are causing problems -nearly 3" long and soon to break off. Just wish we could get rid of our property in the UK.

Had the electric meter changed today. Now on economy tariff with 2 -5 pm at 8p per KWhr -so top up hot water tank and do the washing and baking.
 
chrismahon said:
Went down to the enclosure again this evening Margaid to catch the evening sun. Another bottle of wine €1.60. Chickens love it and Lucy sunbathing again. Basils eye open but his spurs are causing problems -nearly 3" long and soon to break off. Just wish we could get rid of our property in the UK.

Had the electric meter changed today. Now on economy tariff with 2 -5 pm at 8p per KWhr -so top up hot water tank and do the washing and baking.
Click to expand...

As, Chris, do you REALISE what you're doing to all of us, snowbound or flooded over here, with your tales of sun and cheap wine and power?
And I thought you were our friend!
As for Margaid, CONGRATULATIONS on catching the cat, I know how hard that was for you. Any chance of doing the same thing to the male? (I suppose I mean the tomcat, not the OH!)
 
Shouldn't encourage you all because that would put the house prices up (Council tax £600 and our old place was £2000 =1000 bottles of 'free' wine). Of course now we get 6 months of tourist traffic and nowhere to park!

Downside is I expect to get back in April to find that turning the central heating off in March was a mistake. And we were in 'T' shirts here! Good job I was a plumber and left all my tools and fittings behind.
 
Yup, it's pretty miserable here Chris.

Freudian slip there Marigold!. The three toms will be much easier I think as I can pick up Tiny Tabby and stroke the other two so hopefully will be able to stuff them in the carrier. I'm a bit concerned because Daisy has gone out and it's still snowing. In fact they are all out but I hope only underneath the caravan. OH has "done" the water but the pressure had dropped across the filters and the sensor shut off the pump so I had to go out and reset it. It may mean the filters are blocked as OH was drawing a lot of water through trying to flush the silt out of the pipes. If it goes off again I shall do without water until the morning - I have bottles of filtered water for drinking.
 
This time last year we had temps up to 2I degrees, one of the warmest March temperatures on record.
and drought warnings. Just saying like :-)07
 
Hens don't want to come out and I can't say I blame them. Have had to staple polythene to the framework of the Legbars run so that I can open the pophole and I'm having to rely on the pophole being open on the big house as I've had to close the adjustable vent to stop snow blowing in. The house are set up so that the prevailing winds don't cause problems - but the snow comes from the fourth direction which causes problems. At least on the big house I have popholes in diagonally opposite corners so I can leave one open. Fortunately there is a fixed, protected vent and the roof is Onduline so is ventilated.

Had to clean both filters on the water system - 50 yards to get them out, then back to the utility room having remembered to switch the system over so I have (silty) water to clean the filters, then back again to refit them and switch everything back. The snow across the yard varies between 6 and 15 inches deep plus drifts. OH wasn't best pleased when I rang and told him three lengths of the new cast iron guttering had collapsed onto his workshop roof with the weight of snow - it was supposed to be designed so that the snow would slide off the curved roof without hitting the gutter. It's OK on the other side, which is just as well as the roof below is EPDM (rubber) and the cast iron would have cut it.

The Legbars are sat on their "verandah" - a slatted platform the width of the house, outside the pophole. It is now protected from the wind and snow by polythene. It hasn't actually stopped all day but the flakes have varied in size - if it had all been big flakes I probably wouldn't be able to get out of the caravan!

I'm really worried about Daisy the cat. She was spayed yesterday and went out about 10.30 pm and I haven't seen her since. The three boys have been in and out and I know one of them was in the basket under the caravan but i couldn't see Daisy - I just hope she's tucked up warmly somewhere.
 
I feel so sorry for you but talked to Ukrainian friend of mine this morning and they having so much trouble with this 'spring' whether.Heavy snow fall up to a 1m high,transport not working at all for 2 days now -10°C in most places.Poland is no better most of it covered in white blanket.Many places in Europe have some trouble with this wnether now :(
 
Yes, I'm just feeling sorry for myself tyg because I'm alone and can't get the car out. One of the local farmers cleared the lane this morning but I'm about 400 metres from the lane, the snow is about 12 inches deep,and a steeply sloping drive goes down from it at the curve and I nearly lost it there on Friday. The snow is incredibly slippery - not the dry powdery stuff they get in Europe, I'm slithering about all over the place going out to the hens.
 
Oh,Margaid I hope for spring comming soon.We do not have any snow in London but feel freezing cold anyway.I hope it will be all over soon,yemperatures will climb from next week last time I checked.
 
Aaaarghhh! The bigger birds won't come out of the house and it's getting a bit miffy. I have a shelf under the perch to collect the droppings so the floor isn't too bad, but the shelf could do with a good scrape. The Legbars, now named Fluffy and Lily by 5 year old William, have ventured out of their run on to the tiny patch of exposed grass. I have had 3 eggs today; 1 Leghorn, 1 Welsummer and 1 Legbar - the smaller younger birds are winning hands down on the number of eggs laid per bird!
 
Back to the UK next week and it sounds like I am in for a shock. Was going to do my 'Victorian Plumber' bit at Blist Hill Victorian Town, but it's shut because of safety issues with the snow! Can't say I fancy standing on my own in a freezing cold workshop anyway.

Went looking at property yesterday. Funny system here, too complicated to explain quickly. First property was total rubbish -looked nice on the photo but had nothing good about it at all and loads very bad. Other one was a great project and a real bargain, but was almost identical to the place we've left in the UK and we want something different. Poor chickens had to stay in their runs and Bottom missed us and started wandering around searching the place and leaving 'presents' everywhere.
 
it's snowing AGAIN - started at about 6 am although it's only just starting to settle. Our builder has arrived but I'm beginning to wonder if he'll be staying the night. nephew's 4 wheel drive X-trail is at the garage having the burnt out clutch replaced - pulled OH out of snowdrift. Forgot to do the hens mash last night so just off out to feed them. Thanks for the info about Blist's Hill Chris - the family wanted to go there again, fortunately the boys enjoy the snow unlike my chickens!

Hope everything is OK with the house when you get back Chris - it hasn't been that cold, just lots of the white stuff.
 
You need a good man to get them out, if they don't come out he either calls them out
or rousts them out. He could have an ulterior motive though, his record is seven before they get to the
feeders.

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Went to look at Runner Ducks once. They had 17 hybrid hens and a cockerel. He used to wait outside the pop-hole and tread every one as the came out! Then he rested!!
 
I really hope that met office is wrong and summer will arrive soon.It looks like mini ice age in all Europe(not in Chris place ).Chris why on earth you just buy the land and build a brand new house instad of some derelict to sink all money in it.Honestly is much cheaper and faster proces.
To bright this tread a bit I have a broody Marans hen sitting on 8 eggs at the moment.I will tell you all about it in the new tread soon.The chicks due date is 10th of April :D
 
chrismahon said:
Went to look at Runner Ducks once. They had 17 hybrid hens and a cockerel. He used to wait outside the pop-hole and tread every one as the came out! Then he rested!!
Click to expand...

That would make a brilliant bit of video for YouTube, would go viral I think, very funny. Especially the bit where he lay down on his back, feet up to to the sky, resting after his labours.
 
Marigold said:
chrismahon said:
Went to look at Runner Ducks once. They had 17 hybrid hens and a cockerel. He used to wait outside the pop-hole and tread every one as the came out! Then he rested!!
Click to expand...

That would make a brilliant bit of video for YouTube, would go viral I think, very funny. Especially the bit where he lay down on his back, feet up to to the sky, resting after his labours.
Click to expand...

Fantastic!...bit like my little pekin cockerel Mr Bean, he will race across an acre in all weathers at the sight of a pretty feathered bustle.. :D
 
He's the biggest wuss of the lot! If anyone comes out it's one of the Leghorns and sometimes a Welsummer. I could see from a distance this afternoon that at least one Leghorn and a couple of other hens were out. I am getting seriously concerned about their welfare - should I stop putting feed in the house so they have to come out?

In addition, something has been chewing the wooden rail that goes all around the base of the little run. The snow was well scuffed up by the great nephews so wasn't holding any prints, but I couldn't see any sign of rat droppings. I'm hoping it was squirrels searching for food.

Having had three eggs yesterday there have been none today - but staying in the house probably isn't exposing them to enough daylight
 
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