East RIver - South Dakota

[TheChicknShack]

Hi and Welcome, Mrjp43 & Adam n Angie!!
We have many different breeds of Chickens here on our farm.

English Orpingtons:
Black (Split to Chocolate) - Project birds
Blue, Black, & Splash
Lavender
Buff Orpingtons - Hatchery
Giant Silver Laced Cochins
Ameraucana
Barred Rocks
Dominiques
Rhode Island Reds
Black Australorp
White Leghorn
Dark Cornish
*We have Roosters for all of these breeds. {The Dark Cornish and Cochins haven't started laying yet.}
**Think I got them all,

**


We just hatched some English Lavender, Chocolate, and Black Orpington Chicks.

 

[Adam n Angie]

I sent a pm to the two that were saying they had extra girls. Our coop is so close to being finished and I can't wait to get some girls in there. The man says we cannot do babies. He said they are to much work. (memories from his younger years on the farm) I was also wondering if there was a place or someone that can give me a list of things I will need to get started these girls. I'd like to keep it as organic as possible. I am also wondering about vaccinations and common illness these girls can get. and how to watch out fot them. I have read a lot about raising chickens and have family that does it but most people say, don't worry about anything. It's simple, but they don't give me details. I don't want to get into something without being prepared. (I do have 3 children and have cared for many sick and disabled animals, but for some reason this venture doesn't seem as easy to me)
Thanks,
A

 

[Adam n Angie]

Hi and Welcome, Mrjp43 & Adam n Angie!! We have many different breeds of Chickens here on our farm. English Orpingtons: Black (Split to Chocolate) - Project birds Blue, Black, & Splash Lavender Buff Orpingtons - Hatchery Giant Silver Laced Cochins Ameraucana Barred Rocks Dominiques Rhode Island Reds Black Australorp White Leghorn Dark Cornish *We have Roosters for all of these breeds. {The Dark Cornish and Cochins haven't started laying yet.} **Think I got them all, ** We just hatched some English Lavender, Chocolate, and Black Orpington Chicks.

I would be very interested in taking to you. We decided that we can do chicks instead of pulleys or vice versa.

 

[Adam n Angie]

Our coop is coming along. We wanted to make it as"green" as possible by using reclaimed material.
Adam and I both grew up on farms so to make it more personal and unique we are using nest boxes from my family's farm and some limber, windows and hinges from his family's farm. I think it's so bat bringing our families together in our own backyard. I'm kinda sentimental.
Hopefully I hear from everyone soon.
Have a great weekend,
A

 

[SD Bird Lady]

Looks like the coop is coming along nicely. Hopefully you find some chicks/birds.

 

[julie42a]

Hi! I just found this thread and its nice to see other SD chicken people I'm up in Brown County. I have a small flock of 5 girls that I got as babies this past spring. This week's weather has me thinking about winter and I can't find much info online about how to keep chickens comfortable in our extreme weather. What do other people in this area do? My coop is a converted garden shed, so I'm thinking I'll insulate with foam board, but what about heating and litter? Any suggestions?

 

[julie42a]

My girls, taken about a month ago

 

[destiny_56085]

In about a month or so, if you plan on leaving the girls outside at all, maybe put up some of that heavy duty clear plastic sheeting on the run. If you don't it will be drifted in with snow pretty quick... Watch for sales at Runnings or another farm store and you can get one of those heated dog bowls for about $15. They need to have a source of open drinking water. Otherwise be prepared to run down multiple times with water that isn't frozen. I usually don't do supplemental heat unless I have youngsters out there... I just make sure the coop is draft free and well bedded. Need some sort of ventilation yet though or moisture will build up in there and end up with moldy bedding/feed and frozen combs. On the litter, I like to use shavings about 6" deep and sift off the dirtiest stuff weekly and rebed as needed. The waterfowl get deep straw. They are much messier though. They tend to slop water everywhere and it freezes fast. Keep throwing more straw in and do a deep cleaning in spring.

 

[SD Bird Lady]

I agree with destiny, lots of good advice. A heated dog dish is awesome, If you don't have electricity use rubber pans so you can crack out the ice few times a day. As far as insulation, anything you use will need to be covered with wood or it will get picked apart if within reach of curious birds. I have all pea comb breeds and they handled last year just fine in an uninsulated garden shed with no problems,but there are 20 of them and I use the deep litter method which holds heat but also adds moisture so its a guessing game sometimes.

 

[julie42a]

Thanks very much! I am leaning toward the heated dog dishes as well although a lot of people on here seem to disourage them. I think that makes the most sense in this climate. I will watch Runnings and TSC for them to go on sale. I am worried about the foam board getting picked at, because I guess chickens like styrofoam, but we have it from siding our house this summer so I will at least do the roof with it. The roof and walls of my former shed are just cheap plywood so they're very thin, I feel like for below zero temps the girls are going to need a bit more.

I'm kinda torn on bedding as I have not been using Deep Litter all along, and I don't know if now is the best time to start. I've considered ordering sand for the coop and run because its dry. I know it gets cold, but it also retains heat well, without adding moisture so I'm considering it, but I'm not sold on it completely. Our weather is just so nasty! I will definitely put clear plastic over the run area, that will help a lot with blowing snow! Right now the girls spend a couple of hours a day roaming around the yard, but I'm not sure they'll be as keen on that when its under a couple feet of snow.