2 Questions - Are these Right for Us & Rooster Help.!

[MaggieRae]

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The SL wyandottes I received from MPC are just lovely.

Wonderful layers, and sweet as a pea.

 

[Freeholder]

What part of Alaska do you live in? If in the coastal areas, you can probably get away with the breeds you have left on your list -- I totally agree that Leghorns won't cut it up there. Not only are their combs much too big, their body size is small and won't hold heat as well as larger birds (in extreme cold climates, larger-bodied animals have a smaller percentage of surface area to lose heat from, relative to their mass).

I grew up in Delta Junction, and have also lived several years in Tok, and had chickens there (as well as dairy goats). If you are in the Interior, my advice would be to drop ALL of the breeds you have on your list except the EE's, and replace them with either Buckeyes, Wyandottes, Rose-comb Rhode Islands, or Chanteclers. Anything with a small comb -- even in the rooster. Most of the breeds you have on your list, the hens don't have huge combs but the roosters do have large combs (look at the roosters someone posted pictures of above). It won't kill them to lose part of their comb and wattles, but it isn't good for them, either -- and they lose fertility while they recover. It's better to just get chickens that are adapted to the climate in the first place. I don't recommend Brahmas, however, as their feathered feet collect manure and ice in the winter. The breeds I mentioned are all reasonably decent layers, even in the winter; have small combs; large body size; make a decent carcass when they are done laying or if you hatch out some surplus roosters; and at least the Buckeyes will sometimes go broody. I've had EE's go broody, also, but that seems to be more of an exception rather than the rule.

If the place you are ordering from doesn't have good breeds for Alaska winters, I'd order from someplace else -- split the order with someone if you don't want 25 chicks and can't order fewer. Or fill the order with a few meat birds that you can put in the freezer after a couple of months growing them out. If you've never butchered anything, you should be able to find someone handy who knows how and can show you.

I once ordered chicks by mail while we were living in Tok -- it was early March and thirty below. The guy driving the mail truck down from Fairbanks (200 miles) kept the box of chicks in the cab of the truck with him -- I'm sure the cheeping had to have gotten annoying! But they did fine!

Kathleen

 

[seminolewind]

Sounds like you're doing alot of research for these chicks. But you might want to think about ordering extra chicks. My friend in Montana ordered chicks last year in February and about 30% of the chicks arrived dead, she says they got cold during the trip.

 

[seminolewind]

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It's nice to know there are still thoughtful people out there!

 

[paulandashia]

OMGosh, so much info.

Thank you all SOOO much!!!

The decision is even harder than I thought.

And no worries, the birds will be handled every day.

This is so exciting for us (especially me, who is an animal-o-holic).

As I said, I think they will be in the living room fir the first few weeks, then moved into the garage until it warms up.

I live in Wasilla.
It doesn't really get as cold up here as in the interior, but it DOES get awful windy. We did get to -20 this year though.
Our yard slopes down in the back, and we put the chicken coop down there, and made sure that the coop, and the pen faced away from the wind and into the woods a bit, so that they should be much better off when it's windy out, being protected by trees and the coop itself We also have the top of the pen covered completely, to prevent the Baldies and Owls from stealing our birds.

 

[Goose and Fig]

I have a few Welsummer roosters and they are really gentle, and attractive. They do have big combs that you have to watch for frostbite though. I saw someone mention wyandottes- that might be a better choice for a roo . The blue laced reds are especially gorgeous. You're doing a great thing by researching them! Sounds like you are going to have some happy chooks!

 

[BarredBuff]

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That would be a colorful eggbasket but I dont know how the Leghorns are going to handle Alaska. I am in KY and my roos have frostbite on their combs they have single combs like the birds you are ordering and I have Rhode Island Reds and Barred Plymouth Rocks. So I would consider some birds like the Dominique, any coloring of Wyandottes, Buckeyes, any coloring of Brahmas although they wont give you the egg colors like you want but they will be hardier than the other ones due to their combs.
As for the rooster I would get a roo from each breed and whoever lives and has the best personality would be my roo.

 

[TriciaHowe]

I second the Wyandottes. They are great layers, good personalities and cold hardy. Good luck and I am sure whatever you decide on will be great

 

[Chris09]

Just thought I would jump in here a minute,

To the OP, What comb Leghorn are you getting? There is a single and a rose comb Leghorn..
If you are get the rose comb variety Leghorn you will be just fine with them.. If it it is the single comb Leghorn then you might have a problem..

Chris..

 

[ChickyLaura]

Wow, what a lot of good advice people are offering! I was going to say get a Turken rooster, ha ha. I think Alaska would be too harsh for them though. Our rooster is pretty friendly and he doesn't crow that much.

Just had to add that my daughter's best friend just moved up to Wasilla last year from Pennsylvania. They love it up there!

Good luck!