April Hatch Challenge....

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I was born here, bloods too thick to survive in the south.
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It's a balmy 47 outside, partly cloudy, most of our snow has melted and the ice is finally going out of the ground so the water can soak in and the mud can dry up. That's why the brooders in the house, Hubby works in the oilfields on the North Slope, 2 weeks on 2 weekd off, so he hasn't finished our "coop" yet so I finally bought a shed from the construction class at the high school and it will be delivered on the 5th. Until then my little hatchlings stay inside.

You'd be surprised how hardy everyone is. The kids are only wearing thier hoodies as a fashion statement and have already moved into the sandle phase of the year.

The goats are just in a 3 sided shelter, it was colder the 25 below for 65 days last winter, part of that time it was actually colder than 35 below. But we just pile in lots of straw and then hunker down in and snuggle.

I'm told the chickens will ok if I add some insulation and a heat lamp (although I'm getting an infra-red one cause I've seen too many barns burn to the ground from the "regular" ones.)

You'd be surprised how many variations on heated water buckets there are, and the birds will generate alot of body heat too.

It's a dry cold, pretty comfortable till it gets to zero, below that you wear more layers and don't stay out as long. In the heart of winter I do my outdoor chores in stages rather than one after the other.

Small price to pay for living in the most beautiful place on earth!!!

Michelle
 
Well....i love cold weather, but 20 is cold to me. We took our boys snow skiing this year and several days it didnt get above 6 degrees....too cold for a suthern boy!! You do indeed have a beautiful state....and one extraordinary Governor!!! Hope she will represent me and the rest of the nation one day.
 
Where'd you get your Buff Orps?

My hubby had 3 requirements if I was getting chickens, Buff Orps, Silver Laced Wyandottes and Rhode Island Reds. I got the Wyandottes and the Reds ordered but I still need to cover the Orps.

Gotta keep him happy!

Michelle
 
AK Michelle, I got mine from a hatchery in Douglasville, Ga....they were the last 8 hens he had....is raising "exotic chickens" only now. I would be glad to send you some eggs if you want to incubate them (all I have are buffs so they would be pure) or, I could send you a couple chicks from my next hatch. Since I am new to this, couldnt tell you for sure what sex they would be and someone would have to tell me how to ship them....but I would be glad to share a few with you. Just let me know and we can figure something out. I have about 16 eggs waiting for my first batch to hatch that I could send you some eggs from right away....just let me know and have a great weekend!!!
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If you're looking for buff orpingtons, greenfamilyfarms has been auctioning off batches of 3 dozen hatching eggs at a time...plus extras!

Her birds are GORGEOUS, and not from hatchery stock. I have a dozen in the incubator of her buff orps, and all are fertile, due in 10 days. Not a bad egg or cracked on in the bunch...and she sent me plenty of extras...my daughter put some in her own incubator!

Alaska sounds gorgeous...except for the mud part.
 
Well....just candled the batch in my second incubator. Of 23 eggs, 21 look good. 2 were clear and when opened were nothing more than a yoke. This batch is due on May 6....batch #1 is in the dining room (wife hasn't fussed at all.....I think she secretly thinks its kinda neat), just waiting for the first pip and the first peep. Happy Friday!!
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