Canadians check in here....

[MattyBowman]

Hi everyone! New to BYC, from southwestern Ontario looking to get into meat birds. Excited to learn more about it!

Welcome! Hello from the West Coast!

 

[Kris5902]

Hi everyone! New to BYC, from southwestern Ontario looking to get into meat birds. Excited to learn more about it!

Welcome to BYC! Meat birds are a wonderful idea. They taste amazing compared to even the best store bought chicken... raising them outdoors and on pasture makes a huge difference.

 

[nooyen23]

Welcome to BYC! Meat birds are a wonderful idea. They taste amazing compared to even the best store bought chicken... raising them outdoors and on pasture makes a huge difference.

I have been researching and pondering the pasture idea, seriously considering it!

 

[SubArcticFowl]

Hello from Yellowknife. Any fellow northerners on here?

 

[Northernchickens]

No

Hello from Yellowknife. Any fellow northerners on here?

Not that far north! Do you have chickens? I would love to hear how they fair in your climate and any advice you have.

 

[Jetsko]

Hi @Jetsko Welcome to BYC.

The member that I know lives close to you, and may be able to help, seems to have left the site. I'll try to wrack my brain for you.

As a rule, most hatcheries shut down their sales at the end of June or so. You may have better luck getting pullets & cockerels this time of year. Try a kijiji search.

Good Morning - last two weeks have been busy as I have been supervising / introducing 3 pullets to Elvis & Presley. I found a hatchery in my area that had some Light Sussex pullets that were about 3.5 months old. I spent my day moving birds from dog crate to big run to little run & coop to free range. After a week of "see but no touch" and sleeping together in the coop at night, I attempted to introduce Elvis & Presley (both hens) to the new girls. Total failure, waited a day then introduced Presley to the girls while Elvis (bully b1tch) was in solitary in the dog crate. Elvis just need more time and after a 2nd week of "see but no touch", yesterday I introduced Elvis to the group of 4 with little drama. Elvis & Presley do chase the new girls and two of the new girls are josling a bit for 3rd position but no major drama or attacks. This morning I opened the doors and let all birds to figure out whose going out first. Supervised first 30 minutes of feeding to make sure that Elvis allowed others to eat. All good - the new girls will be named Priscilla, Lisa & Grace as soon as I can figure out who is who.

 

[SubArcticFowl]

No

Not that far north! Do you have chickens? I would love to hear how they fair in your climate and any advice you have.

I don't have chickens yet. I just think about getting chickens 24/7. I'm hoping to get some in the spring of 2020.

There are a few people with chickens here. A friend of mine just culls his in the fall instead of trying to keep them through the winter. It is an option, but something I'd rather not do. People that keep them have insulated, heated structures or foster them out to a local large heated barn.

 

[Northernchickens]

I don't have chickens yet. I just think about getting chickens 24/7. I'm hoping to get some in the spring of 2020.

There are a few people with chickens here. A friend of mine just culls his in the fall instead of trying to keep them through the winter. It is an option, but something I'd rather not do. People that keep them have insulated, heated structures or foster them out to a local large heated barn.

Yeah I couldn’t cull them either, I am already too emotionally attached! They spent their first night in the coop last night and I woke up several times with raccoon nightmares lol

 

[Jetsko]

I don't have chickens yet. I just think about getting chickens 24/7. I'm hoping to get some in the spring of 2020.

There are a few people with chickens here. A friend of mine just culls his in the fall instead of trying to keep them through the winter. It is an option, but something I'd rather not do. People that keep them have insulated, heated structures or foster them out to a local large heated barn.

Hi - I'm new to chickens as I inherited 3 chickens sept 2018 when we moved in to this house (Belleville/Stirling area). I was worried about 3 hens surviving the winter in an uninsulated, no hydro coop. Talked to a friend who has had chickens for many years - she warned against heating the coop with a heat lamp due to dangers of fire. I was also told that once you start heating the coop you must keep the temp fairly consistent. If hydro goes down for any significant length of time, you need to have a generator for backup or bring them inside. Not sure if any of this is true but sounded reasonable. I just put down lots of extra bedding in the coop, ran an extension cord for the heated waterer and as per friends advice - gave them warm oatmeal in the mornings. They managed just fine. I don't cull as our chickens are treated as pets and will be allowed to live until nature decides their time has come to an end.

 

[Northernchickens]

I don't have chickens yet. I just think about getting chickens 24/7. I'm hoping to get some in the spring of 2020.

There are a few people with chickens here. A friend of mine just culls his in the fall instead of trying to keep them through the winter. It is an option, but something I'd rather not do. People that keep them have insulated, heated structures or foster them out to a local large heated barn.

I read that the coldest recorded temp in yellowknife was -63C... some chickens are cold tolerant but I don’t think any species of chicken could live through that cold! I think you have it right either cull them or heat them I don’t think you have a choice! I guess I’m thankful I only live in northern Ontario.. doesn’t get that cold here