Chicks and Cold Fronts

I really need a better brooder set up for these meaty chicks. We had a cold front blow in with 30 mph north winds and temps in the 40's. I have the chicks in a wire bottom cage now to try to stop smothering, but have still lost 4 to it!

I think this will be the last batch of meaties I do for the year. They'll be ready in mid-December. Then I'll take a break for Christmas and maybe even wait until after spring kidding to start up again. I may start earlier if I can work out a better brooder.

This apparent trash pile is actually the tent I have set up in the barn to protect the birdies from the wind and cold.

This morning, I asked one of my boys to help get them a bigger waterer. They're drinking what they have dry 3x/day. He was struggling with getting it in the brooder. Three times, I told him just to leave it and I'd get it when I finished milking. Well, he decided that come hell or high water, he was going to get that drinker in there.

High water- he poured half the gallon all over my poor, freezing, fuzzy chicks.

Here's me with the hair dryer trying to fluff them back out. I'll have to go refill the water later since by the time he was done, there was only 2 inches left in it. Kids....