hope you all share pics next year..its only sept and getting excited for spring already..way too soon i know..but cant help it..for now winterizing everything....
Australorps breed Thread
- Thread starter call ducks
- Start date
we start stapeling plastic over one big open air pen that is covered in chicken wire to keep most predetors out ..this area used in case of big drifting snow storms, they still have a big turn out exercise area with fresh sand gravel mix in it...2 years ago there was an ice storm , the ice covered the ground near 3 inches thick...i had to literally wear ice climbing crapons to get around the farm...looked more like i was on mt everest expidition... we have those hanging right next to the fireplace..we had to go help the neighbors , their dog went out..slid all the way down over a hill on the ice, couldnt get back up, we had to go get him..thought it wouldnt be a problem with dog toenails but , when we got him, hie feet were all bloody from the ice and trying to scratch his way back up the hill...during same storm, another farmer thought he could slide on out and feed his milk cows. slipped fell slid fast down over pastue hill hit a tree and broke leg, lucky he had cell phone in pocket.they had to fly medicopter right to him...
chickens look like bambi on ice..so we deal with fun stuff like that...chickens go out and split thier straddle on ice better if they just stay in that big enclosed area..most of the time it isnt like that..but it can be, better be prepared..if not chickens can get severe frostbitten combs ect if they arnt protected..there is a book at farm and tractor called chicken sheds and barns..one of the barns is called the ny barn ..summers are wonderful, but look out in winter, can get rough....
all outdoor pens with runs get covered with plastic, all pens are well ventelated and open into another open air area.. snow can fill those fast if we dont cover them..we shovel paths in open pens in case they feel like coming out..with the wind chills they usually wont come out.
then we start getting back up batteries set for hatching in case of power outs,..setting up heater areas for heat lamps that are used when temps can dip to minus 10 - 20 wind chills.. .we heat with wood so stacking many cords getting ready...
right now the small flock is up in orchard eating windfall fruits grasses, buggs and all the stuff they really like..they dont eat much feed this time of year..take a few bites then run off for the orchard...
chickens look like bambi on ice..so we deal with fun stuff like that...chickens go out and split thier straddle on ice better if they just stay in that big enclosed area..most of the time it isnt like that..but it can be, better be prepared..if not chickens can get severe frostbitten combs ect if they arnt protected..there is a book at farm and tractor called chicken sheds and barns..one of the barns is called the ny barn ..summers are wonderful, but look out in winter, can get rough....
all outdoor pens with runs get covered with plastic, all pens are well ventelated and open into another open air area.. snow can fill those fast if we dont cover them..we shovel paths in open pens in case they feel like coming out..with the wind chills they usually wont come out.
then we start getting back up batteries set for hatching in case of power outs,..setting up heater areas for heat lamps that are used when temps can dip to minus 10 - 20 wind chills.. .we heat with wood so stacking many cords getting ready...
right now the small flock is up in orchard eating windfall fruits grasses, buggs and all the stuff they really like..they dont eat much feed this time of year..take a few bites then run off for the orchard...
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Your post makes me happy I live in Cali. That's a lot of work! When I'm out in the rain and feeling sorry for myself I will think about you this winter. I am guessing that the waterer's freeze too. How do you keep the combs from freezing?
Walt
To keep my combs from freezing I keep my males that I will like to show inside the barn near the wood burning stove. My best breeding Black Orp has a medium comb, and because of good circulation of blood in his comb he has endured near zero temps without suffering any point loss on his combs. My buffs start to suffer once it gets to under 25 degrees. So, some can do okay. most do not. And as an ole timer said to me, IF you do not show, once the points freeze off, you then do not have to worry about frostbite combs anymore. My best Buff Orp cock, and father to all my new young juvie Buffs was sold to me from Doug Akers for $20, and most likely was sold for just that amount was due to his comb loosing points to the freeze. He has great color, a super nice tail and I paired him up with my 2010 Central Indiana Poultry Show English Champ Buff Orp hen. This season I have about a dozen 4' by 4' pens set up in my barn for my best show worthy males. But, the Buff cock, my Black cock will stay outside and endure.
Last winter we had a few days below 22 degree's and I didn't even think to prepare for frozen combs, but somehow my males got through it. I guess I lucked out.
Walt
all the leaves are brown , and the sky is grey, california dreamin.on such a winters day..isnt that how the song goes?..you are so lucky you live there. beautiful part of the country.,.some fantastic winerys....we have some real pretty wine country too..make nice ice wines over here.
.i get a little jelous of all of the people able to hatch this time of year...i know better.., too much of a struggle.they would just be huddled all winter ..never really grow right in that...every hut here has heat source..feb is when we get started..looking forward to it as this year with all of the animal attacks from weasles to racoons to dogs, it has been a really bad year..but you have to move on.
i think the coldest temp ever recorded was right over here in new hampshire on mt washington..it can get real mean in new england in winter..i would imaging that some place like alaska or mt everest would boast coldest temps..but new hampshire holds the record...
one of my freinds , a hospital patient was keeping a really nice flock of australorps, he just laid down the foundation, was getting into some serious breeding plans, then a black bear ripped the siding right off from his barn - coop, killed all of those chickens..his neighbors said it then picked up a 100 lb bag of feed and carried it right down the road like a big man..all this while he was at hospital getting dyalisis...so last 2 years we took him up to some shows with us, out to lunch, had a fantastic time with him...he made so many freinds up there..i thought it was awful funny he hadnt been around for a few months dropping off a pile of chicken magazines to me....found out yesterday he had died, i feel so bad, at least im glad we got to spend some time with him and get him out with the chickens he loved..he told me he couldnt go through that again with the bears..
ive only ever had 1 australorp rooser get frost bitten tips on comb, that was when the plastic on back of pen blew up over the top of the pen.he still had heat in there, but not a lot of good when the noreaster is blowing up your back..ive learned how to fastine it better now so that doesnt happen..
.i get a little jelous of all of the people able to hatch this time of year...i know better.., too much of a struggle.they would just be huddled all winter ..never really grow right in that...every hut here has heat source..feb is when we get started..looking forward to it as this year with all of the animal attacks from weasles to racoons to dogs, it has been a really bad year..but you have to move on.
i think the coldest temp ever recorded was right over here in new hampshire on mt washington..it can get real mean in new england in winter..i would imaging that some place like alaska or mt everest would boast coldest temps..but new hampshire holds the record...
one of my freinds , a hospital patient was keeping a really nice flock of australorps, he just laid down the foundation, was getting into some serious breeding plans, then a black bear ripped the siding right off from his barn - coop, killed all of those chickens..his neighbors said it then picked up a 100 lb bag of feed and carried it right down the road like a big man..all this while he was at hospital getting dyalisis...so last 2 years we took him up to some shows with us, out to lunch, had a fantastic time with him...he made so many freinds up there..i thought it was awful funny he hadnt been around for a few months dropping off a pile of chicken magazines to me....found out yesterday he had died, i feel so bad, at least im glad we got to spend some time with him and get him out with the chickens he loved..he told me he couldnt go through that again with the bears..
ive only ever had 1 australorp rooser get frost bitten tips on comb, that was when the plastic on back of pen blew up over the top of the pen.he still had heat in there, but not a lot of good when the noreaster is blowing up your back..ive learned how to fastine it better now so that doesnt happen..
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I have been trying to contact Duane Urch for over a month; every time I call, there is no answer. Does anybody know if there is a time of week that works?
So glad I found this thread. I'm going to post to read later.
I got my first ever chicks this past Wednesday, 8 Australorps, and I continue to be obsessed with them.
I got my first ever chicks this past Wednesday, 8 Australorps, and I continue to be obsessed with them.
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