Colorado

[trochefarm]

We are looking in Elizabeth mostly. We will not even look at places that have an HOA. We like the 5 acre property, it would just need a barn built and the floors refinished. The house has everything we want though.
We want a couple horses, a cow (dexter also), possibly a couple goats, and a bunch of chickens. I think we could manage on 5 acres as long as the majority of it is pasture that we can rotate. I really have no idea though since I've never done this before!

If we bought the 10 acres we would not be able to replace the house. We'd be stuck with it.In

I've been reading, with interest, all the talk on land/pasture/water, etc. We're looking for land, as well. We've been focused on the Elbert County area, for the most part. The whole well thing has been hard for me to follow. My realtor is trying to help me figure it out. I tell him what I want to do, and he tries to explain the restrictions.

Good to know, though, that 5 or even 10 acres are going to be difficult to support any large breed animals. I don't intend to have many, one or two small breed cows, chickens, maybe goats. Didn't realize 10 Colorado acres wouldn't (might not) support pasturing those.

Are there any areas that are better (more productive) than others? I'm a native East Coaster where 5 acres of pasture is more than enough for a few head of cattle. I still haven't figured Colorado out, yet.

 

[Pozees]

maggiemo - what I would try is putting them in either of the coops you mentioned with the light and as long as it is well ventilated and the light is only on at night they should be fine. Once they have been in there a few days, open the door to the run and let them find their way out. You may still have to put them to bed at night for a few days, but chances are within a week they will not need the heat at all - they may not need it much now, as they can keep one another warm, depending on how cold your night time lows get. Once they are 4 weeks old and pretty well feathered, they should be fine.

 

[Pozees]

trochefarm, where we live it is very dry, not sure how Elbert County compares, but we have 42 acres and were told it was questionable whether it could support one cow without supplemental hay. I am from the East as well, and it is quite an adjustment.

 

[megshenhut]

samsr, glad to hear that you were able to pick up a couple goslings.

 

[Mtn Margie]

I've been reading, with interest, all the talk on land/pasture/water, etc. We're looking for land, as well. We've been focused on the Elbert County area, for the most part. The whole well thing has been hard for me to follow. My realtor is trying to help me figure it out. I tell him what I want to do, and he tries to explain the restrictions.

Good to know, though, that 5 or even 10 acres are going to be difficult to support any large breed animals. I don't intend to have many, one or two small breed cows, chickens, maybe goats. Didn't realize 10 Colorado acres wouldn't (might not) support pasturing those.

Are there any areas that are better (more productive) than others? I'm a native East Coaster where 5 acres of pasture is more than enough for a few head of cattle. I still haven't figured Colorado out, yet.

It is hundreds of acres PER large animal out here to graze off the land. Cattle need longer grass than horses or goats/sheep. The trick with grazing property is to keep it from being damaged at the root system and really, water is everything when pasturing. Good luck in your search!

 

[trsturself]

Wow so different than what I am used to. Thanks everyone for your comments and knowledge. Invaluable! It has changed our plans but at least we know now and not after trying and failing.

 

[Percheron chick]

If you have irrigation water that changes the game completely. 5 acres can sustain (limited) 2 horses and a cow if you have decent soil and water. Good water rights can be as valuable as the land easily doubling the price but without them you just have a big box of dirt. The farther S and E you go the more unlikely that you will have irrigation water with the property. The soil is also sandier E of I25. As much as I hate the heavy clay soil W of I25, water goes a long way with it. Even if a ditch or river runs through your property does not mean you have the right to pump and use the water. Cash strapped property owners often sell off mineral and water rights to raise quick cash. Water can often be rented and sometime bought. What's the mineral rights status? Don't want Anadarko to come in and put up a well on your property. If you do not own the mineral rights, you own the dirt on the top and someone else owns what's under it. They have the right to come in and access what's theirs and compensate you for use of a portion of your property. Unlikely that it will happen on a small property but it can happen and they have every right to do it.

I would be looking S Weld county. More apt to find 10+ acres with some water. Not the pretties land overall but there are some nice pockets.

 

[trsturself]

If you have irrigation water that changes the game completely. 5 acres can sustain (limited) 2 horses and a cow if you have decent soil and water. Good water rights can be as valuable as the land easily doubling the price but without them you just have a big box of dirt. The farther S and E you go the more unlikely that you will have irrigation water with the property. The soil is also sandier E of I25. As much as I hate the heavy clay soil W of I25, water goes a long way with it. Even if a ditch or river runs through your property does not mean you have the right to pump and use the water. Cash strapped property owners often sell off mineral and water rights to raise quick cash. Water can often be rented and sometime bought. What's the mineral rights status? Don't want Anadarko to come in and put up a well on your property. If you do not own the mineral rights, you own the dirt on the top and someone else owns what's under it. They have the right to come in and access what's theirs and compensate you for use of a portion of your property. Unlikely that it will happen on a small property but it can happen and they have every right to do it.

I would be looking S Weld county. More apt to find 10+ acres with some water. Not the pretties land overall but there are some nice pockets.

I've only seen one property that mentions mineral rights and it was only 25%. I would assume the builders that bought the land in Elizabeth and developed it or sold it kept the mineral rights for themselves. We will definitely plan to feed hay and supplement with any grasses we can manage to grow. The 10 acre property we were looking at was fully grass with no watering so it must be in the lower basin or something. It was gorgeous. But unfortunately the house just wasn't doable and they want too much for it to make replacing the house an option.
I've looked in Weld county as things pop up but there isn't a whole lot out there anywhere in our price range. It's tough. We may just put our house on the market and buy an RV to live in while we look for a place. I want this to be the last place we buy or sell. What a PIA all these real estate transactions are!

On a fun note. It was time for our first hatchlings to go outside. Had to take some pics...

Here is the little silkie that we hatched from Pozees eggs that was white with black chipmunk stripes when it hatched. It's getting black head feathers. Definitely a silver partridge, or maybe even closer to plain partridge. We'll see.


Our barnevelder/maran rooster we hatched from Suncatcher's eggs


White bantam frizzle cochin from Kiowa Country Corner. With a buff silkie from the same place behind her (friend in KS is taking her)


Hard to see but this is a black/blue silkie (not enough feathers to really tell which yet) from Pozees eggs and the maranx rooster and what was marked as a javaX. The Java is in the middle. It is getting the prettiest feathers. They are a dark blue with black lacing. Our real estate agent is buying her. I'm a little disappointed because I want to see how she turns out.


Our mystery chick that turned out to be a welsummer, stretching her wing. She loves to sit on top of the waterer. She is the most docile bird and lets the younger ones push her around.


Our bantam EE from Kiowa country corner. I love her coloring.


Our mottled bantam frizzle cochin from Suncatcher's Mille Fleur pen. With the other blue/black silkie and the java


Here's all but two of our hatchlings enjoying the dust bath area. The missing ones are the lavender silkie and the BO mix. The BO mix was sold and the lavender silkie hid when the pecking order stuff started and hadn't come back out yet.

 

[Pozees]

Cute chicks trsturself!

 

[trsturself]

I think we may have our first broody! Our cochin has been in the nest box every time I check it starting yesterday afternoon. I took her out yesterday and this morning and she goes right back in there. She slept in there last night too. What's funny is this means we have a broody bunny too. That chicken is our rabbit's best friend. She follows her everywhere and cuddles up to sleep with her, even if it's on the roost! This morning I went to check for eggs and found the cochin in the nest box surrounded by rabbit hair! I don't know if she was plucking it from the rabbit for her nest or if the rabbit was plucking it herself. It was obvious the two of them slept together in there.
Too bad we'll be gone this week and already have a million chicks or I'd go get her some cream legbar eggs to sit on!