Lynn and her friend Ian dropped by for a visit today. Not quite the same as hanging out on a warm and sunny afternoon. But it was fun listening to Lynn happily chat about the growing season as we trudged around in calf-deep snow, visiting the half-buried greenhouse, checking on the chickens in the chilly chickenhouse, saying hi to Jack the Miniature Donkey in the cold barn. Memories of the summer’s farming settled over the whiteness everywhere. On this tiny farm, it’s definitely the off-season…

Is there a heater-wand thingy I can get to keep the chicken’s water bucket un-frozen? It’s getting annoying to chip away the ice twice daily. We’re in an arctic cold spell here in Portland Oregon.
Nat: Probably… I just fill up with warm water in the morning, and (usually) bring in the waterers at night.
I’ve been doing the same. I’ve been looking and have found a heated chicken water from McMurray’s hatchery in the states.
http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/category/waterers.html
We’ll need to find a Canadian source for these :)