Minnesota!

[Triplell]

Yeah I work at a private college, and we're trying to figure out if we should call off class on Monday!

Welcome to our Thread!!! The information here on BYC is Awesome from every walks of life. Yes schools should be closed for sure.

 

[Minniechickmama]

We just bought land in Hugo, MN, and we're hoping to get into chickens! Any suggestions for best breeds? We'd like to do a combo of egg-layers and birds for meat production. Also clueless about shelters...we have 10 acres (flat. has previously been corn) with a pond. help?!

Hi and Welcome to the wonderful world of chickens!
As Bogtown mentioned, I do breed Buckeyes (along with a few others), and they are an excellent breed for the northern climate that provides a good number of eggs as well as good meat qualities for those looking for a true dual purpose breed. They have an excellent temperament as well and are a fun breed to have foraging about. I do agree that Chantelclers are another northern breed that should hold up well in our climate. The main thing with keeping chickens in the north though is how you house them during those times of extreme heat or cold. The Bucks tend to be pretty heat tolerant as well with ample shade to get out of the hot sun. With the small pea combs and slight wattles the worry of frostbite is negligible.
If you want more info on the Buckeyes or other breeds I have, feel free to PM me.

 

[BlackBrookPoultry]

Snow, I like your idea for hanging t he heater. I may have to try that. Does anyone happen to have a chocolate orpington rooster for sale? I really need one!

 

[coldupnorth]

It seems every time I looked at the weather forecast today, the temps kept changing to the colder for Sunday! Ugh -37* !

Hope everyone stays warm and safe!

 

[Cebarmlds]

Bogtown chick- I ordered one of the flat radiant heaters after reading about yours, thank you for the information. Ordered from Amazon free shipping!

 

[BlackBrookPoultry]

I broke down and bought my 3 horses blankets today. I think I'll put them on Sunday morning. I'm going to add more straw to the coops and have the heat lamp on in the insulated coop. I how when I go on vacation at the end of the month its warmer than this. I don't want to worry about my animals the while time. Ok, if nobody has a chocolate orp rooster, what about a Swedish Flower Hen rooster?

 

[Bogtown Chick]

I broke down and bought my 3 horses blankets today. I think I'll put them on Sunday morning. I'm going to add more straw to the coops and have the heat lamp on in the insulated coop. I how when I go on vacation at the end of the month its warmer than this. I don't want to worry about my animals the while time. Ok, if nobody has a chocolate orp rooster, what about a Swedish Flower Hen rooster?

I'm going to have to google that Chocolate Orpington Rooster. Wow...those birds must look amazing, for the way they sound!

Hey Erlibird: I think you will like the radiant heater. Super mild heat, stays out of the way, no worry of a lamp falling in the litter and starting a fire. You can control the light level in your coop (no light on all night--so the birds sleep better) I've had it going on and off--but mostly on for the last week or two. I can't find one thing to complain about it yet. I'm little concerned about long term durability. But I guess we'll cross that bridge when we get there.

 

[Cebarmlds]

Hey Erlibird: I think you will like the radiant heater. Super mild heat, stays out of the way, no worry of a lamp falling in the litter and starting a fire. You can control the light level in your coop (no light on all night--so the birds sleep better) I've had it going on and off--but mostly on for the last week or two. I can't find one thing to complain about it yet. I'm little concerned about long term durability. But I guess we'll cross that bridge when we get there.

Thank you it sounds like just what they need! I don't want to overheat just take the edge off. I have room to put it behind the roost so i'm sure it'll get poop splattered! looks like it's easy to clean.

I always have lights out at night so they sleep good it's on a timer, also keep a pink nightlight on a timer so about 15 minutes before the light comes on in the morning and in the evening it comes on again then goes off 15 minutes after the regular light goes off so they have a warning and aren't caught on the floor in the dark.

 

[lalaland]

Bogtown, I have a friend whose dogs stay in a kennel while she is at work - it is heavily insulated, packed with hay and there are two heat lamps in a complicated wire cage to keep the dogs from hitting the lamps while they are wrestling. WIth the wind and cold temps, it isn't as warm as she would like for the dogs, I showed her your posts about the flat heater, and she has ordered one as well! you are starting a trend!

I am adding a heat lamp to the other half of the coop for this upcoming -30 below air temps. It won't do much but add 5 or 10 degrees to the air...

 

[Fuzzybottom13]

Hello,

With the extreme cold nights we will be having here in MN over the next few nights, I'm wondering what I should be doing to help the chickens. I have Polish, Brahama, Rhode Island Red, Silkie and Mille Fleur chickens and they have not had any heat yet, just the heated waterer. The coop is not insulated, has three windows and two pop doors. It has vents under the eves of the roof, but with the heated waterer, the windows frost up and the Silkies in particular get frost on their crests & backs even. I am using the deep litter method. They have been laying some, but not all of them are laying.

What do you think I should do? I can certainly put heat lamps out (I'll be sure to nail them down or even install the ceiling fixtures to avoid a fire). I was also thinking of covering the pop doors with something as I'm sure they are drafty and the Silkies are on the floor.

This is my first winter with chickens, so I'd love to hear what other Minnesotans do when the daily highs are below zero?

Thanks!

Heather