Easter Egger club!

[CosmoTheRooster]

I once babysat my friends chicks, one of them looks like your Maggie when it grew up.



Wow! I didn't realize my girls had that many lookalikes!

 

[chicksak]

Looking at adding a easter egger or 2 to our flock, but need to know how they do coop'd up? We have extremely cold winters with lots of snow so they would be in the coop possibly for a couple of months. I know some breads do better then others. they will be added to our flock of Buff Orphingtons.
Thanks
Christina

 

[iwanaplae2]

Looking at adding a easter egger or 2 to our flock, but need to know how they do coop'd up?  We have extremely cold winters with lots of snow so they would be in the coop possibly for a couple of months.  I know some breads do better then others.  they will be added to our flock of Buff Orphingtons.
Thanks
Christina

From what I understand EE's winter very well. They have small combs which limit the danger of frostbite. I've even read they like walking around in the snow. Do you keep your Buff Orp's locked up in the winter? Or do they have the option to go out if they want? All I know is mine love their coop, but they're young yet (7wks). As long as you coop has enough room, and maybe something to keep them from getting bored (like a head of cabbage hanging from the ceiling). They should be fine. Personally, I would give them the option to go out at least for a little while everyday.

 

[chicksak]

From what I understand EE's winter very well. They have small combs which limit the danger of frostbite. I've even read they like walking around in the snow. Do you keep your Buff Orp's locked up in the winter? Or do they have the option to go out ifure they want? All I know is mine love their coop, but they're young yet (7wks). As long as you coop has enough room, and maybe something to keep them from getting bored (like a head of cabbage hanging from the ceiling). They should be fine. Personally, I would give them the option to go out at least for a little while everyday.

This is the first year we have had chickens, so I am not 100% sure how the orps will do, just what I have been told. The coop will heated with a heat lamp and unless the weather drops to cold, below 0 I figure or 90 mph winds the girls will have the option to go outside. Our run is covered so it should help with the snow.

 

[iwanaplae2]

This is the first year we have had chickens, so I am not 100% sure how the orps will do, just what I have been told.  The coop will heated with a heat lamp and unless the weather drops to cold, below 0 I figure or 90 mph winds the girls will have the option to go outside.  Our run is covered so it should help with the snow.

Sounds like a good plan. How many girls do you have now? Keep in mind that the girls create a lot of heat themselves. So if you plan on using any heat source in there, it would be a good idea to keep a thermometer in there as well. You definitely don't want excess moist heat in there. Good luck, and enjoy your girls

 

[chicksak]

Sounds like a good plan. How many girls do you have now? Keep in mind that the girls create a lot of heat themselves. So if you plan on using any heat source in there, it would be a good idea to keep a thermometer in there as well. You definitely don't want excess moist heat in there. Good luck, and enjoy your girls

e

We started with 4 thinking it would be enough to supply are egg needs, apparently we (I) eat more eggs then thought, or they are just so much better that we are eating more! Definitely adding more this weekend, that is if I can find some. Who knows maybe I'll just order 15 from the hatchery....all those bodies should help warm the coop all winter long!

 

[iwanaplae2]

We started with 4 thinking it would be enough to supply are egg needs, apparently we (I) eat more eggs then thought, or they are just so much better that we are eating more! Definitely adding more this weekend, that is if I can find some.  Who knows maybe I'll just order 15 from the hatchery....all those bodies should help warm the coop all winter long!

I hear ya. I can't wait to have fresh eggs. I can't stand eating store bought anymore.
How big is your coop area?

 

[chicksak]

I hear ya. I can't wait to have fresh eggs. I can't stand eating store bought anymore.
How big is your coop area?

Our coop is 8 x 8 and the run is 12 x 24. the girls free range most of the day though. Not big enough to add 15 more, but it sure would be nice. How many and what breeds do you have?

 

[iwanaplae2]

Our coop is 8 x 8 and the run is 12 x 24. the girls free range most of the day though. Not big enough to add 15 more, but it sure would be nice. How many and what breeds do you have?

Wow you coop is huge! 64 sq foot...you could have up to 20 birds in there with no problem. They only need a minimum of 3 sq foot per bird...
I live inside city limits so I'm only allowed 5 (with no Roo's) At the moment I only have 4. 1 Barred Rock, and 3 Easter eggers (all hatchery birds). I will be attending our local poultry swap next month and get to hand pick a new pullet...I look forward to being picky and waiting to find one that screams at me "take me home and love me!" lol
My coop is a 4X8, and the run is 8X8. Probably a little more room than needed for 5, but oh well. My hubby did a nice job building it for me

 

[Bogtown Chick]

chicksak: I live in Northern MN and wintered 5 EE's last winter. As you may or may not know it was a long brutal winter for us. 20-30 below for 2 months or so straight with small reprieves of 10-15 degrees. The girls did fine. They poof up like big feathered bowling balls on the roosts and beaks poking out from their puffy cheeks and beards. Gosh they were adorable on the roost. I did not insulate the coop, except for throwing some snow up on the walls...and turned the heat lamp on at night when it was really frigid. They did superb. They would look a little cautious and scared almost with those 25 to 30 below nights. I think those temps for extended periods of time do wear on them. But they came through just fine this spring. You'll enjoy them. They were some of my better behaved in the coop on those real cold days.