Chickens in Alaska

[Dancing Spruce Farm]

Hi there! I have been keeping chickens for almost two years in Interior Alaska. There are some special challenges up here, as you might well imagine - cold is the major one! We have a flock of about 25 hens and (I think) two roos. The second roo is questionable - haven't heard him crow or seen an egg come out, so we'll let that one stay until we can decide if it's a he or a her! lol

I joined this forum because I'd like to learn a bit more about keeping chickens. We have a fantastic insulated coop for them that is wired with outlets and everything - it's really great! We keep full-spectrum lights on 15 hours a day so they will lay through winter. They don't get to free range, because our dogs would eat them, but they do have a pretty large fenced yard where they spend many happy hours scratching through the bedding we take out of our goat barn.

We don't have any one particular breed, although there are a lot of wyandottes in our flock because we got a great deal on 25 chicks our first year! We also have one polish, some black copper marans, orpingtons, rhode island red, ameracaunas, and a few other breeds. Our wyandotte roo last year gave us some pretty chicks - too bad most of them were roos and are now in the freezer. Sure wish there was a way to tell what gender would come out of which egg!

 

[Imp]

What a great intro, sounds like youy got a nice set up. We will, of course, need pictures.

Imp- from Ketchikan & Anchorage

 

[dawg53]

Welcome to BYC.

 

[Jay262]

Hey i dont mind answering any questions you might have as im sure anyone else wouldnt just feel free to ask. I live in canada and have been raising birds for over 25 years mine have no issues with cold and they have seen many of days with -30 f i dont have insulated coops or are they heated. Chickens hold up alot easier to cold then we do outside of frostbite if your letting them outside in the cold there combs and waddles are prone to it. Some breeds are more adaptable to cold then others. I know a guy in Sk and the temps there get twice as cold as they do here and he has a 3 sided coop in which he keeps his birds in which goes to show yet again cold has very little effect to your birds. The big thing is proper ventilation worrying about the cold is more for us then the birds.

 

[theoldchick]

 

[ghillie]

 

[greymane]

from the Finger Lakes of New York! Very happy to have you aboard!

 

[CheerioLounge]

from Twentynine Palms in the California high desert! You'll find that BYC folks are very friendly and knowledgeable and always eager to help.

Warning: BYC can become seriously addicting!!

 

[CMV]

from NH. Sounds like a lovely flock. Lots of eye candy.

 

[checoukan]

I would think it would be a major chore with the cold in Alaska! Glad you joined us! From a little bit warmer Kansas!