A northern Newbie

[outdoors4sure]

Hi. I am "outdoors4sure", a 74y.o. widow moving to my cabin in the woods. 40 years ago, I had chickens and did the processing myself. I feel as if I have forgotten most of what I knew and am uncertain how to do what. I plan to start with about a dozen chicks next spring after the last frost. I had two dozen Road Island Reds before, and am considering Cornish Cross breed? The main purpose of having chickens is to supply/store meat , and secondly to keep a few through the winter to have a supply of eggs at least part of the years going forward. I live in planting zone 4, so we have longer winters and a plethora of predators...I have the fencing needed to protect, and hope to acquire a goose to help ward off the smaller dangers.
I would appreciate any suggestions, ideas, or experiences about which breeds you recommend?...best scalding and plucking techniques/equipment, and what to grow to help lessen the feed bills. Any information will be a help!


(1) Are you new to chickens / when did you first get chickens?

(2) How many chickens do you have right now?

(3) What breeds do you have?

 

[pennyJo1960]

Welcome to Backyard Chickens. This is a great place to explore and hang out. Hardware cloth not chicken wire.

 

[sourland]

Welcome to BYC, and good luck in establishing your flock. Cornish X are great for meat, but have serious health issues if held beyond optimum processing time. Get them for meat and some others for egg production.

 

[muddy75]

Welcome to BYC!

 

[DobieLover]

Hello and welcome to BYC! Glad you joined.

 

[Kenneth Zweerink]

Welcome to BackYard Chickens, And a Big Hello from Eastern Nebraska! The Best of Luck with your Plans.

 

[ChicNmom]

Welcome!!! Even though I live rural I would love a more remote cabin in the woods!!!

I let mine out to forage so that helps with feed in the summer. I let some weeds grow that they like and some grasses for seeds but in out of the way places so probably not a lot of savings. They get some food and garden scraps.

I do rinse, dry and crush their egg shells to help with calcium along with oyster shell.

I used to clean all the pine shavings out of my coop. Then read where someone would take out the dirty shavings under the roost. Then move the less dirty shavings under the roost and put down fresh in the center where they walk. That never occurred to me and I'm using a lot less pine shavings.

 

[outdoors4sure]

Welcome to Backyard Chickens. This is a great place to explore and hang out. Hardware cloth not chicken wire.

LOL Actually, game fence with 1/2" Hardware cloth on lower portion.

 

[Nomadicus]

Hello and Welcome to BYC. Glad to have you here in this poultry loving community.

 

[Marie2020]

Hi

Welcome to BYC
I found keeping a dog helpful in the past with my chickens.