Greetings from Alaska!

[Miss Lydia]

I have to say I have a tiny little OEGB rooster who loves our LF hens he really likes them in winter he sleeps between 2 of them. lol. He has bantam hens too but his favs is my two old lady EE’s

 

[good2bcalm]

I have to say I have a tiny little OEGB rooster who loves our LF hens he really likes them in winter he sleeps between 2 of them. lol. He has bantam hens too but his favs is my two old lady EE’s

That’s encouraging and the visual is too cute! Thanks!!

 

[good2bcalm]

OMG, I'm so jealous! Alaska & off-grid! I have Red Sex Links. (Also heard them referred to as Red Stars) They seem pretty hardy, but we typically only see -30 C a few times a year. But with supplemental lighting, they laid close to an egg a day all winter. They are also fantastic foragers! No bug is safe! (Or too big it would seem)

Yes I have had good luck with supplemental lighting during the winter as well. During December and January we have 3-4 hours of light during the day so it is very necessary if you want eggs. Years ago I started out with Buckeyes when a friend recommended them as hardy, cold-weather tolerant chickens with pea combs. Seemed perfect to me but they did not do well with 6+ months of confinement. I have Buff Orpingtons and Barred Rocks now and they do much better. Their combs are much bigger than I thought they would be but so far so good. I am wondering if parts of their combs do freeze, what kind of negative effect it might have on the bird. Heard that they stop laying but I have an acquaintance whose chicken’s combs have all frozen off (yikes!) and they still produce eggs.

 

[Chicken Tacos]

Yes I have had good luck with supplemental lighting during the winter as well. During December and January we have 3-4 hours of light during the day so it is very necessary if you want eggs. Years ago I started out with Buckeyes when a friend recommended them as hardy, cold-weather tolerant chickens with pea combs. Seemed perfect to me but they did not do well with 6+ months of confinement. I have Buff Orpingtons and Barred Rocks now and they do much better. Their combs are much bigger than I thought they would be but so far so good. I am wondering if parts of their combs do freeze, what kind of negative effect it might have on the bird. Heard that they stop laying but I have an acquaintance whose chicken’s combs have all frozen off (yikes!) and they still produce eggs.

Ouchie! Poor chickens.