Colorado

[Mtn Margie]

I would totally pay college kids to shovel the driveway. Lol.

Pretty sure they would work for homecooked dinners and beer......

 

[KLBCOS]

Well, I came across a coop challenge with the current weather conditions. We inherited this coop a month ago and it has a slanted roof but on the peak of each end it just has hardware cloth covering a large open triangle. It's great for air flow when it's not too cold but with the night time temps and wind and snow, We are on the prairie. It's definitely a draft vs ventilation. Snow was actually blowing inside. So, I have been racking my brain trying to figure how to cover it without losing ventilation. I went to home depot and as luck would have it the guy who offered to help me has 50 chickens! I ended up in the furnace filter aisle and found a filter material that says cut to fit for $8. I've already got it stapled up. There is airflow but not a draft. I am sure the drafty situation is what caused one of the BR (I used and abbreviation to get a pretty go case of frostbite in December which is just about healed up. Anyway, sometimes you have to get creative to solve some of the chicken challenges.

Hope everyone and all chickies are staying warm...

 

[COChix]

  but you forget, these are Boulder college kids.  Most of them don't have to or don't know how to work.

I don't think the kids next to us own winter clothes, lol.

 

[COChix]

Well, I came across a coop challenge with the current weather conditions. We inherited this coop a month ago and it has a slanted roof but on the peak of each end it just has hardware cloth covering a large open triangle. It's great for air flow when it's not too cold but with the night time temps and wind and snow, We are on the prairie. It's definitely a draft vs ventilation. Snow was actually blowing inside. So, I have been racking my brain trying to figure how to cover it without losing ventilation. I went to home depot and as luck would have it the guy who offered to help me has 50 chickens! I ended up in the furnace filter aisle and found a filter material that says cut to fit for $8. I've already got it stapled up. There is airflow but not a draft. I am sure the drafty situation is what caused one of the BR (I used and abbreviation to get a pretty go case of frostbite in December which is just about healed up. Anyway, sometimes you have to get creative to solve some of the chicken challenges. 

Hope everyone and all chickies are staying warm...

Can you post a shot of the packing, cause I might check into that. Please

 

[bbqnmama]

Welcome to th BYC Colorado thread and greetings from North Boulder, out by the rifle range.
So there are four of us that I know of around the immediate Boulder area, PC is in the Boulder area as well.

How much snow does everyone have? We have about 14-16 inches would be my guess. Projected to possibly get 4-8 overnight? I hope I raed that wrong.

Welcome bbqmama!
I'm in south east Boulder too, off McCaslin and South Boulder Road.
Great to have someone here so close to me! What kind of meat birds are you thinking of hatching?

Very cool! I'ts nice to meet ya, neighbors I'm over by Isabelle and 95th so not far from either of you!

We don't have nearly the accumulation that the weather folks were saying we should expect....I'm thinking maybe a foot in total at this point? I suppose some might have settled and melted a bit underneath.... We did have some vicious winds though come through early this week - wow. Was a sight to behold. Made me VERY glad to be human and next to the woodstove. hehe.

I'm doing some research on the meat bird varieties now, actually... I was interested in the Red Rangers based on some comparisons to the Cornish ones... but then I saw some articles on Rosambros, Kosher Kings, and then some of the heritage breeds that made me think twice. That said, I can't find any Rosambros or Kosher Kings for sale so... I seem to be back to the Red Ranger or heritage breeds. (I'd try the cornish but.... the feedback doesn't seem good on them in terms of the health issues and what have you).

I am very open to input on the topic as this is the first time and I'm just going on what I can read up on.

Have you done meat birds? Any suggestions on variety? and then there's the question of how many

 

[Percheron chick]

Small world. I lived at the corner of Isabelle and 95th when I moved to CO 22 years ago.

One safe and easy way to go with meat birds is just buy straight run dual purpose chickens. Keep the hens, process the boys. It also gives you the option of processing them at your own pace, not all of them in a very small window.

I have not done meat birds but I am surprised at the price of Freedom ranger chicks. I figured since they were THE red ranger bird, they would be pricey. I'm sure you could find some people to split an order. Even solicit or sell them on CL.

 

[Mtn Margie]

I have raised the Red Broilers from Stromburgs and also hatched out my mixed dual purpose.
RB pros
More uniform and there is an ideal 2 week window for processing, 10 to 12 weeks old, fairly feed efficient
Cons - there is a cost for the chicks, 25 minimum usually

Dual pros
You can process as they reach weight, usually (12?) 14 weeks earliest, 16 to 18 , 20 the smaller birds
Might be cheaper, , great flavor
Cons less feed efficient, more fighting between the boys because they are older, more crowing

This has been my experience so far. I have grown 25 and 50 chicks at one time. I personally like just getting the processing over with in one or two days, so depending on what you raise, the DP will have a wider range of carcass weights.

 

[KLBCOS]

Can you post a shot of the packing, cause I might check into that. Please

Here's a link to what I purchased. It's was easy to cut to shape. I'm not worried about the girls pecking it as it is at roof level. I hope this helps.

http://t.homedepot.com/p/Flanders-P...rmaire-Pad-Air-Filter-40655-012436/100178722/

 

[Mtn Margie]

Great info on the packing / venting material. Thanks!

 

[suncatcher]

I have never done meat birds, but have heard good things about the Freedom Rangers, and any Cornish cross, they do well at our altitude here in Colorado.

Going to be a beautiful day!!! Hope everyone enjoys it!