Manitoba Members

[BuzzesAndClucks]

That makes sense (about the combs), thanks!

I'm sure you guys have already covered this, but do you heat your coops in the winter? Or just insulate well?

 

[blkjak]

I also have some Plymouth Barred Rock hens and they are very nice. Lay big beautiful light brown eggs. I get most of my chickens off kijiji or ebrandon. I do heat my coop but only because it is an old small animal building with no insulation. I may insulate this summer. Chickens are wonderful pets.

 

[garth66]

Hey there,
I raise and hatch barred rocks. I've tried a few breeds, but love these birds. They're cold hardy, lay good size eggs all year, very well tempered (My toddler chases the rooster around the yard), and are attractive. I used to live in West St. Paul and it wasn't until I brought a rooster home that they found out I had chickens. I received a letter telling me I wasn't in an agriculturally zoned area. I got rid of the rooster and the municipality left me alone with the hens
I have a couple silkies that I use to incubate the eggs. If you're interested let me know.
I have an old grainery that I converted into a coop. I "insulated" the walls with straw last year and have a heat lamp running all winter. It is a fire hazard, so I'm dancing with the devil perhaps, but it also acts as a light source to keep them laying during the dark days. The only incident I ever had with frost bite was when my rooster was sick one evening when the temperature was -40 and he didn't roost for the night. Never had any frostbite issues with the hens.

Garth

 

[BuzzesAndClucks]

garth66: I'll definitely be interested, come spring! And that's good to hear about West St. Paul, hopefully my neighbourhood is as tolerant. We're on Logan, so I'm hoping the traffic noise will drown out any hen noises...and that our neighbours' silence can be bought with fresh eggs

Thanks for all the info you blkjak & dgarth66! I think I'm going to try to limit myself to six hens, so some combination of barred rocks, chanteclers, and ameraucanas might be just the thing. Although I must admit black copper marans are tempting...such beautiful eggs! Has anyone local ever raised any?

 

[blkjak]

I have 3 black copper marans hens and I had a roster but he passed. He was not very cold hardy(he seemed to have a bit of a death wish from the moment I got him). They are very nice hens, lay nice dark eggs and are quiet. I got mine from a lady at Ericksdale. Found her on kijiji. I will see if I can find her website.

 

[garth66]

Sounds good. If you're still interested in spring let me know and I'll keep a couple for you. I changed the picture they had for me here. That's our rooster before he got frostbite.
Do you have bees too? Your name is "buzzesandclucks" so I'm just guessing here. If you do, how's that making out in the city? I have a few hives too.

 

[BuzzesAndClucks]

No bees yet! I'm hoping to get them this summer, too...but I'm worried about how they'll make out in our area. It's fairly industrial.
I'm planning a big garden for this year, though, and I'm going to overseed the remaining lawn with clover, so maybe that will help. And there are a few other houses with gardens in the area.

How long have you kept bees?

 

[garth66]

I'm sure the bees will find something somewhere I've been beekeeping for just over ten years now. Just a small scale hobby. The most hives I've manned was seven, and that was too much work for the small extractor I have! Then my wife and I started having kids, and goats, and breeding our hens..now breeding the goats. Since then I've drawn back on my hive splitting and am back where I started, with two hives. But that's enough for me. I find the hive fascinating, and with two hives going, it provides with more than enough honey and a help hive if one needs it.
You're near by to Beemaid then if you live on Logan. They'd supply you with all the stuff you need if you can't or don't want to search online. I have a friend who sells small hives in the spring. He lives near Lorette and raises a "manitoba bee" so they've been accustomed to our area and are strong. If you buy from Beemaid, you're most likely getting them shipped from New Zealand where seasons are opposite. They bounce back and all, but I always feel that a hive that's already wired for Manitoba has a better start.
Have you really been looking into beekeeping much, or is it just a brewing idea? I love it and recommend it to anyone. One rule if you ever do own a hive: don't open it at night I learned that the hard way.

 

[WildfireSmitty]

Hello fellow Manitobans! I am looking to trade breeds or to trade Roos for breeding.

I have Black Australorp, Rhode red, Buff orp, and Sexlink hens and roos. I will be hatching Nara turketys this april. I will be hatching Buffs, and Australorps all spring and summer.
If your interested in chicks and hatching eggs let me know.

If you have or know of anyone local with chicks or hatching eggs please let me know. I am also looking for Americauna hatching eggs.

 

[garth66]

Hi there,
If you're interested in barred rock, I'll have some in the spring.