Smoky Mtn East TN

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Welcome PoultryArk! Glad to have you with us!
My favorite breed is Silkies, though I keep quite a few others as well, along with my turkeys and guineas
I don't do anything special for my birds in the winter, except maybe go and break the ice in their drinkers a couple of times a day (if the weathers real bad, which doesn't happen in my neck of the woods often). I just keep them fed, watered and in a draft free (but well ventilated) coop. I DO occasionally make them a nice, warm bowl of oatmeal with some meal worms sprinkled on top, but that's just a part of my cool weather treat routine

 

[RedRidge]

Hello my Smoky Mountain Peeps! I just found this thread, so will be reading through it for the next... good amount of time.  I am in the Smoky Mountain region, and I primarily keep hens for the colorful eggs, but am just getting into breeding a couple specialty lines.  I chose the username Poultry Ark, since I am prone to buying "two of each" when I purchase hens. You know how some people have drug seeking behavior? I have chicken seeking behavior! I spend far to much time thinking about where I can get a good egg layer! 

I am curious to know what breeds you love, and which you avoid. Who is keeping what? I am also hoping to learn a little bit about tips for off the grid chicken keeping, specifically in the winter. 

I breed standard bred Rhode Islands - very very sweet. And I'm working on my third generation of a generic Rhodebar breeding project. Welcome to the thread

 

[PoultryArk]

oOoOo! I am very interested in Cochins. We have one white Silkie now, finally getting fluffed out, and are getting a partridge chick (and my first 5 guineas) soon from Frazier Farms (in Bybee/Morrsitown area.) I will research the Rhodebar. I like

Right now in my layer coop I have we have: (1 each) Silver Laced Wyandotte, Dominique, Buff Brahma, white Silkie, a EE which was sold to me as an Americauna, a wee Olive Egger pullet, (2 each) of Ameracaunas, Buff Orpingtons & White Leggers. I wont get white leggers again. They lay well, but are a bit too aggressive with new hens. I am loving the mellow disposition of the Orpingtons and Brahmas, and the beautiful Ameracauna eggs. I am getting more Wyandottes, but from a breeder this time instead of a hatchery. They are soooo pretty.

I am raising some True Black Orpingtons (English) and Isbars for breeding. I am very, very interested in acquiring some Faverolles or Fauvacauna, but have some other special projects in the incubator for now. EEEEEE!!!

 

[amenfarm]

For winter, I have a heated dog dish with a another bucket inside to hold water plugged in to a thermo cube which turns on 32* and off above 34*during freezing weather- I used a heavy duty outside extension cord cut and made to fit the length. keep this well dusted to prevent a fire, check often for overheating of any cords.
The coop is winterized so there are no drafts across the roosts-but as important, is that there are vents high up to remove warm moist air--which can cause frost bite. I have cold Hardy breeds of chickens and during freezing weather you can coat their combs and wattles in Vaseline or Bag balm to prevent frost bite.
You DO NOT need additional heat- they will thicken their feathers for the temperatures, and if the power goes out they will not have adjusted to the weather. If they don't need heat in Alaska, you don't need it here. Make sure your roost is a flat side of a 2x4 so they can sit with their feet covered to hold in warmth. I've run my fingers into their feathers during freezing weather and it's toasty in there!
I do the deep litter method, so the warmth from the composting litter will attract them to make round, deep holes that they sometimes sit into during cold spells. Your litter should be about 5 inches+ by cold weather, and the composting, messy litter actually insulates better than fresh litter.

 

[RedRidge]

In general livestock of all varieties thrive in cold weather. We have cattle, sheep, poultry and rabbits... We lamb in Jan and Feb for just this reason. A shelter of trees in our climate is adequate for most. While many have actual coops, barns or breeding pens, they need to remember that not totally closing animals in is the highest priority. Even on the rare occasion that we have animals in the barn, we never close the barn doors.
And even when it snows here (i know, rare), we still have one entire side (usually the east side since most wind comes from the west or south west) that is open.
For poultry water we have 2 and 5 gal buckets that have poultry nipples on the bottom. We use stock tank disc type deicers dropped in each one and even with temps below zero have no freezing problems. Some people use bird bath deicers which is basically the same thing with a shorter power cord.

 

[cws451]

is there anyone that has any bees that would mind me coming out and looking at there setup? im buying a farm here soon and im really interested in the idea of having bees.

 

[RedRidge]

is there anyone that has any bees that would mind me coming out and looking at there setup? im buying a farm here soon and im really interested in the idea of having bees. 

we have bees but probably the best thing for you to do is to go to the closest monthly meeting. Most meetings will assign you a mentor and you'll want to attend ask the meetings before you get your nucs or packages in the spring. Where are you located?

 

[cws451]

in sevierville. there is a meeting at the library here but due to my work schedule im unable to make any

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

I have bees as well, and I'd be happy to let you come and check them out, but Jamestown is a pretty good drive from Sevierville. We just winged it with our bees. I didn't attend any meetings or classes, but the nice fellow we bought ours from has been serving as my "mentor". He keeps a couple of hives at his store that he let me look through when we were still considering them, has come out and inspected my hive a couple of times and always answers the phone when I call and is very helpful when I have questions

 

[cws451]

i have done alot of research on it. But i read that new bees can swarm off fairly quickly i would hate to spend all the money and not know what to do if they take off. i understand the theory of bee keeping just not the practical part