looking for fellow Alberta chicken freaks!

[KarenQuick]

I am in the Lakeland Region near Elk Point.  We have been suffering a tent caterpillar infestation, just horrible.  Soon the moths will be upon us.  Ugh.  My information is that chicks will not eat tent caterpillars but guinea hens might.  Does that sound right to you? I don't ever want to go through this again!!

We've barely had any caterpillars in our area this year. I'm really not sure if hens will eat them but it's a good question. Birds are usually pretty smart about avoiding the wrong snacks I think. You'll have to let us know how things go

 

[uncertainty]

I have posted this question on a couple of other threads. So far the response has been a unilateral no-go for chicks. Phooey.

 

[Tony19]

This is an old thread but are still Albertan/Sask chicken people out there. I'm near the border, close to Lloydminster

 

[uncertainty]

Hi Tony19; I am not too far, outside of Elk Point.

 

[Tony19]

Hi Uncertainty, I’m 10 miles due west of Marwayne on RR40 and about the same from Dewberry. Been to Elk Point many times through hockey so know most of the eating places. Only been chicken ranching for 2 years, since arriving in Alberta, but really enjoying it. Aim is to raise meat for the family and of course eggs. Took a liking to Orpington, especially the buff. Started with 3 hens each a different colour, slowly getting to all buff. Aim is to overwinter 9 or 10 hens and raise about 150 for the freezer. Winters haven’t been too much of a challenge yet; only a few days at -40C

 

[uncertainty]

Hi Uncertainty, I’m 10 miles due west of Marwayne on RR40 and about the same from Dewberry. Been to Elk Point many times through hockey so know most of the eating places. Only been chicken ranching for 2 years, since arriving in Alberta, but really enjoying it. Aim is to raise meat for the family and of course eggs. Took a liking to Orpington, especially the buff. Started with 3 hens each a different colour, slowly getting to all buff. Aim is to overwinter 9 or 10 hens and raise about 150 for the freezer. Winters haven’t been too much of a challenge yet; only a few days at -40C

I am about half-way between Elk Point and St. Paul. Practically neighbours!! This is my first flock. I have 25 Red Sussex Cross from Miller's Hatchery in Rochester. So far, so good. I am hoping to keep a dozen ladies and one roo over the winter. That should put a dozen in the freezer for year one. I have a few questions, if you don't mind: 1) What is it about Orpington that is working well for you? My original thought was to do Chantecler, as it is supposed to be cold hardy, but they are a little hard to come by. 2) How do you anticipate processing 150 birds? Are you doing it yourself by hand or does the abbatoir in St. Paul still do poultry? 3) How difficult a challenge is frostbite? Thanks Tony.

 

[Tony19]

The first year we had a little red coop from Peavey; no heat but only a few days below -40. 3 hens and 1 ro but no frostbite. Last summer we converted an old coop and put power in. Oil radiator was plugged into a 'cube' thermostat outlet - comes on at 0 and goes off about 5C for background heat. Red heat lamp overnight when it was cold and a white heat lamp during the day. Temperature was always between -5 and 5 and I had no problems. 12 hens and 1 ro, they went outside everyday, even in the snow but they didn't like wading through it so I would clear a bit for them. It was the Orpington's hardiness that attracted me to them, they don't like the heat too much. Tony

 

[uncertainty]

Thanks Tony;

Certainly sounds like Orpington is a good fit for our area. For my first effort with chickens I thought I would make my mistakes with an inexpensive variety. So far these little hybrids seem to be hale and hearty, so no complaints. I am using a coop the previous owner had, so I am unsure how well insulated it is. That is good information you have shared about the background temperature range, thanks. By using the white heat lamp did your hens continue to lay during the winter and did you keep the white light on 16 hrs/day? Was the laying rate was lower than summer?

Poor Tony, I am making a bit of a pest of myself. Thanks for all your time.

 

[Tony19]

No problem, it's less than 2 years since I got my first hens at so I'm learning all the time. Throughout the winter I kept 12 hens and averaged 8 eggs a day, their light was on 12 to 14 hours a day: it's another characteristic of the breed, they just keep on laying.

 

[uncertainty]

Excellent. Thanks again Tony.