In November, I wrote of the pools of water that have collected on top of the biomeiler. They continued to freeze over and melt open as the weather conditions fluctuated. Their presence hinges on how the weather alters the rate at which heat arrives from below and the rate at which it is removed from […]
Today, it warmed up to 14F. This temperature, although not objectively warm, is so much in contrast to the temperatures of recent weeks that I felt no need for my hat and gloves while running errands around town. The record cold spell that persisted through December and into January now seems to be over. There
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Recently, I had noticed a great many cars and trucks with burned-out headlights and taillights. Soon after, while on an evening errand, I noticed that the illumination from my headlights was asymmetrical. When I parked, I found it was not merely an inconvenient accumulation of ice and snow, but that the driver-side headlight had burned
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Until recently, I had been feeding the hens two scoops of pellets and two scoops of fermented grain, twice per day. That amount was determined over time. I began with the amount recommended by theory and modified it after patient experimentation. I watched them eat and added or reduced the amount until they did not
The chart accompanying today’s post shows the temperatures measured in the biomeiler at a height of 4’ above the ground. This height marks the boundary between the existing biomeiler and the recent extension. The data were collected by a thermocouple buried in the pile at that height at the very center of the inner core,
December Experimental Results, part 2 Read More »
As the month commenced, the outdoor temperature rapidly dropped. The coop temperature initially followed suit, but then became remarkably stable. Although changes in the outdoor air temperature are clearly represented in the coop temperature, the chickens have enjoyed a range of 35-45F. Though hardly luxurious, such a temperature range is easily tolerable by the
December Experimental Results Read More »