Maine

[cmitchell]

Does anyone know if there are any Langshan chicken breeders in Maine?

 

[MustardTiger]

Welcome newcomers!

Had my first real predator issue last night. A hawk took 3 of my youngest chickens and my only two BCM pullets. Now I have 4 roos! argh

It is one thing for me to cull or process my own chickens and a total other thing when some other creature steals them!

Poor little guys.


in happier news my corn has silk showing and I am going to have more pie pumpkins than I know what to do with!!

If anyone is interested in one of these cockerels please let me know. They would be great for an olive egger project. They are about 2 months old and not mean at all. I am near the Cumberland/Gray line.

 

[ashandvine]

Does anyone know if there are any Langshan chicken breeders in Maine?

To my knowlege, no. And I looked for a while last year. I could look on my list from the NE Poultry show and try to tell you who is closest but you could also look in the Langshan thread. Nice folks in there. The one I saw the show when I walked in was just amazing. Really nice big birds.

 

[buckabucka]

Welcome newcomers! Had my first real predator issue last night. A hawk took 3 of my youngest chickens and my only two BCM pullets. Now I have 4 roos! argh It is one thing for me to cull or process my own chickens and a total other thing when some other creature steals them!

Poor little guys. in happier news my corn has silk showing and I am going to have more pie pumpkins than I know what to do with!! If anyone is interested in one of these cockerels please let me know. They would be great for an olive egger project. They are about 2 months old and not mean at all. I am near the Cumberland/Gray line.

So sorry for your loss, MustardTiger! Do you know this was a hawk? I didn't know they would take so many birds! It makes me nervous. We have corn silk starting to show, too. Just keeping my fingers crossed that the many litters of skunks we had here don't come back and feast on it!

 

[Chambertin]

Had an interesting event happen recently:
Just interviewed for employment with the State of Maine~

I had given up on the applications I sent out a few months ago and reserved myself for a few years in Michigan, or maybe even back to China for employment, but out of nowhere I got a call and then did a distance interview for one of the state run programs.
The position would be way up in Caribou, but that's no different than the UP in Michigan to me. Honestly I bet there are many more people that far north compared to Michigan.

We'll see how everything turns out in a couple weeks, but its encouraging news to hear.

Anyone from up in Aroostook County have advice about living near Caribou? Cold hardiness advice?
Anything is good to know.

Just goes to show that once you finally move on to something else the wheels finally start turning.

 

[Jazor]

Had an interesting event happen recently:
Just interviewed for employment with the State of Maine~

I had given up on the applications I sent out a few months ago and reserved myself for a few years in Michigan, or maybe even back to China for employment, but out of nowhere I got a call and then did a distance interview for one of the state run programs.
The position would be way up in Caribou, but that's no different than the UP in Michigan to me. Honestly I bet there are many more people that far north compared to Michigan.

We'll see how everything turns out in a couple weeks, but its encouraging news to hear.

Anyone from up in Aroostook County have advice about living near Caribou? Cold hardiness advice?
Anything is good to know.

Just goes to show that once you finally move on to something else the wheels finally start turning.

Caribou really isn't all that bad. Spent time working there in my days on the railroad, there's a few decent places in-town...the "Par & Grille" comes to mind. Small local bar with a golf simulator in it, and friendly staff. Food is fine.

Far as cold hardiness, if you've worked the U.P. you've already seen exactly what Northern Maine will offer. Wear Under Armour (or long-johns of your preference) and eat a warm hearty breakfast. You'll be just fine. Always have a spare set of gloves, hand warners, & socks in your truck, there *will* be a time you'll wish you had them!

Cheers,
Jazor

 

[MustardTiger]

Bucka, After talking with Ash, I think it may have been a fox. I am unsure since I saw a hawk close to where I found the feathers/body. :/ In any case everyone is staying inside the coop and run for a while!

 

[CoopChick719]

I have to thank backyardchickens.com for teaching me that building a coop could take longer than you think. I didn't want to order chicks until it was ready, but we were making great progress so felt it was safe. I was lucky to have the coop ready and the temperatures warm enough to place the chicks into their new home mid-June at 4-weeks with a heat lamp at night until they feathered out and the temps increased. The chicks were happy to stretch their wings. I do have windows in the coop on the east and west walls. So they should get some natural daylight during the winter while the sun is out. Do your chickens lay at all during the winter with only 9 hours of light?

That's awesome your little ones could move in quickly! My coop windows face East & West as well. I've been thinking about enlarging the East one. When I mentioned about more natural light in the coop, hubby said... a little sarcastically...Why don't we just put in a skylight?! I said that would be great and would he get right on that!!

I only had 2 girls laying last winter. My Silkie laid consistently each day until she went broody in February. The bantam Cochin would lay every other day or so.

Had my first real predator issue last night. A hawk took 3 of my youngest chickens and my only two BCM pullets. Now I have 4 roos! argh It is one thing for me to cull or process my own chickens and a total other thing when some other creature steals them!

Poor little guys.

I am so sorry for your loss MustardTiger!!

I thought a hawk took 2 of my chicks as well but it turned out to be a fox.

Had an interesting event happen recently:
Just interviewed for employment with the State of Maine~

I had given up on the applications I sent out a few months ago and reserved myself for a few years in Michigan, or maybe even back to China for employment, but out of nowhere I got a call and then did a distance interview for one of the state run programs.
The position would be way up in Caribou, but that's no different than the UP in Michigan to me. Honestly I bet there are many more people that far north compared to Michigan.

We'll see how everything turns out in a couple weeks, but its encouraging news to hear.

Anyone from up in Aroostook County have advice about living near Caribou? Cold hardiness advice?
Anything is good to know.

Just goes to show that once you finally move on to something else the wheels finally start turning.

Welcome back Chambertin! Aroostook is beautiful!! The people are great!! We have a camp near Houlton--about 2 hours from Caribou. As far as the cold goes, I'm sure it's much like the UP.

Caribou really isn't all that bad. Spent time working there in my days on the railroad, there's a few decent places in-town...the "Par & Grille" comes to mind. Small local bar with a golf simulator in it, and friendly staff. Food is fine.

Far as cold hardiness, if you've worked the U.P. you've already seen exactly what Northern Maine will offer. Wear Under Armour (or long-johns of your preference) and eat a warm hearty breakfast. You'll be just fine. Always have a spare set of gloves, hand warners, & socks in your truck, there *will* be a time you'll wish you had them!

Cheers,
Jazor

I will second the Under Armour or longjohns and the spare clothes in the truck, a flashlight, wool blanket and some water!!

 

[Chambertin]

Appreciate the advice so far.
How about chicken for cold hardiness? Eating a pizza now to get my natural long john layer back up to par.
Too much time in the sun belt these past few years.

Honestly not so worried about me or the chickens, but wasn't sure if elevation would change the game much from Michigan

 

[joanie_maine]