What are you all doing to prepare for winter?

[frustratedearthmother]

I'm jealous! Looking forward to pics!

 

[baymule]

@Mini Horses I use a killing cone-it's rolled up cardboard and duct taped, LOL. I am going to get some REAL ones of stainless steel! Yes, I packed the meat in the bags, then froze and sealed the next day. We used a neighbor's Yeti cooler to ice them down in. That thing was awesome, but not $550 worth! Wal Mart put a Coleman Extreme 120 quart cooler on sale for.........$54!!! We filled it with ice Monday, it's Thursday and it still has ice and is cold. For $54, how could we go wrong?

@frustratedearthmother I want a home slaughter house too. I am planning on buying a star-plate kit from Strombergs and building a gazebo first, to see how it goes. But then why not get another kit and build me a screened slaughter house??

http://www.strombergschickens.com/starplate_building_system

@NH Homesteader you have a processing trailer??? I don't know if I want to or so I think I'll

 

[Mini Horses]

Beekissed, thanks for the input! I've never used any cone, always the head on the block. (although the first one many years ago, a turkey, had to put a sock on his head so he didn't keep looking at me!)

I must say that the feet on that bird are HUGE.......

 

[NH Homesteader]

We don't have any issues with our stainless cones. But being frugal myself I do greatly appreciate your bleach cone!

 

[baymule]

Well it's not like a fancy one. It's an open air setup, hubby just welded the scalder, etc. to the trailer so he can tow it elsewhere when people hire him to process. He wants a slaughterhouse for poultry on one side of the property and one for pigs on the other. Sheesh!

I'm still jealous. I can dream can't I?

I have a partial roll of stainless flashing. I see some taped stainless cones in my future.

Make sure you beat the edges over so you don't cut yourself on the sharp edges. To do that you use a straight edge like a 2x8, line up the flashing and beat the edge over. Once you get it bent, then you can beat it all the way down giving your home made cone a rolled edge.

 

[Beekissed]

On topic, currently getting in firewood, building cold frames and planting soon(should have already had this done but it was too stinkin' hot to move here), going to be doing winter prep on the coop soon, and also clean up of the garden next month...still have vines making but that will soon be over.

*****Repaired the splitter with a $1 fix that could have costed me $80 if I was inclined to believe one has to order the whole handle assembly when a small pin is broken or lost. Used a rolling chain link and it fit perfectly...I call that a God thing, when it's highly improbable that a solution will work but you pray about it and God brings it to fruition. If anyone has a similar problem with their splitter, these roller chain links can be found at TSC and even at Wally World, though cheaper at TSC. ****

 

[k15n1]

Working out a rabbit-watering system so I don't have to chip ice out of crocks for the next 4 months.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I picked up 40 square bales yesterday - will be going back for a few more round bales this weekend. It'll be nice to get that chore taken care of.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Mini's and teeth... ugh. My older mare has a snaggle tooth, lol. Gives her character! No eating problems though.... so far these gals stay fat on air! They're just "young 'uns" at 12, 13, and 16.

 

[Mini Horses]

Yep, young 'uns! With these older ones, it's the jaw teeth that are so flat/thin, or just gone, that create the hay issues. You know, even at the higher price & higher quantity fed, the Sr feed is no more than good hay & a concentrate used to be sure all vit/mins are available. I have 2 eight yr olds, mistakes....stallion got into mare field. Next youngest is now 19. There are 11 over 23. 3 are 30+