FLORIDA!!!!!ALWAYS SUNNY SIDE UP!!!

[carolsaucier]

Heather I would be very interested in getting another Maran...they are sweet birds and I love the dark, dark brown eggs. Sorry you lst one of yours, too. I understand Marmy was fine in the morning and gone but noon. Haven't told Bitty yet, she wil be heart broken.

 

[dominga]

HI! I'm new here. I live in pinellas. Have a question for all veteran chicken owners...what do you do with your chickens in the winter? I know we live in fl but sometimes we get freeze warnings, so i was just wondering if you put a heater outside with them? we use to put blankets on our horses(once of twice i'd bring them inside the house) but what do you do with chickens...my husband really doesn't want them all over our house or even in the house period. so extra hay? cover the coop with blankets? put a heater in there?

 

[TheJuan-n-Only]

Quote:
Hey welcome from Tampa....I'm new to chickens myself and this will be my 1st winter, however, based on the reserch I've made chickens are very hardy and our Florida "winter" is not a problem for them...they can huddle together and as long as there is no draft they should be ok.....

 

[welasharon]

Quote:
I'm up here in North FL and I don't add heat (although I will have to this winter with my seramas and o shamo) but the regular chickens did fine and I don't have a coop. Mine are all in open air pens. I put plastic on all but the front sides when it would freeze.
sharon

 

[dominga]

thank you! I read they were hardy but i was more worried about the 3-5month olds then the older ones and my geese, does anyone know if sebestpol geese are the same? or do they require special treatment?

 

[crossgirl]

Quote:
I don't have geese anymore but when I did, I didn't do anything special. Remember, they're covered in down!!

You'll need to break the ice off their water and make sure they have a wind break but I wouldn't think they'd need heat.

I would love to have silkies but no more roosters for me. Just found out the FFA project chicken is a roo. Crossing my fingers that his emergency backup companion chickens are pullets.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Quote:
Sebbies are raised all over the country and many breeders show them outside during the day in the snow. Don't forget the geese will be going into breeding season and the ganders can become more aggressive during the breeding season. Mature drakes should not be kept with chickens as a duck will try to breed the chickens and can injur or kill them. Chickens are not made for insertion when bred where as ducks are, this can lead to injuries or death in chickens if a drake doesn't have his own girl and area.

As far as the winter goes, FL temps are much more mild than other areas. Be sure they have fresh food/water and an area out of the direct weather. Chickens will sit on their roost covering their feet with their feathers.

Shellie

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Two of the polish, little buggers wanted to crawl up my arms not have a picture taken.

Visitors today

Black bibbed call hen

 

[Nava]

Quote:
Welcome from Ocala FL.

 

[drgnflyz]

Moving to coastal SW Fla soon. Currently, I live in suburban Idaho w no predator worries regarding my free ranging flock. Heck, I dont even close the coop door at night. I am super concerned securing an area for my flock at our new home. we will have alligators, fox, bobcat, possum, raccoon, snakes, birds of prey and who know what else. Free ranging is out. Not especially concerned about birds of prey as netting/chainlink will do the trick there. My plan is to excavate an area, lay chainlink or dog fencing and sod over that. That base will be attached to chainlink fencing. besides flying predators and snakes, will this be sufficient to protect my girls? Dang, there are probably weasly things that can get through chain link... can someone advise me? I would appreciate any advice!