MASSACHUSETTS -- haha hope i spelled that right .. Question though?

[galxox]

thank you

 

[chickachickawhat]

i have a cottage in otis with 5 acres on a lake. im thinking about moving there and bringing my chickens with me. im thinking about starting a minor small backyard hatcherie. where i live there is no houese for miles in otis where i lve so i will be able to use some town land as well. i might get some goats and sheep and cows and horses as well i hope i can fit everything in

 

[galxox]

lucky you, all those farm animals !!!

 

[KierBri]

worcester, try klem's (agway) in spencer, follow rte 9, thru town almost to e. brookfield line it'll be on your left. or take rte 20 to sturbridge, right onto rte 49 to end, left onto 9, 3/10 mile on left. they'll have chicks in a couple weeks. you have to buy min of six, any combo. they sell straight run, pullets or roosters. i got my first six from them three years ago and they're still laying great.

we live just across the ct line. my girls winter just fine, no heat. they have a 3'x4' house with a little door opening just big enough they can squeeze thru, it's attached to a 8'x12' pen. they go in and out as they please. in winter we nail clear plastic around the whole coop 3' high for the wind. except for a couple weeks late jan/early feb they lay right thru winter. they would lay better all winter if i could get a light in the house but i don't have electricity out there.

i couldn't butcher anything either! there's stearn's in charlton, i don't know if they do chickens though..

45 min, honest? i would have put it at an hour ten at least!

 

[the simple life]

I live in Mass as well.In my town we have to have a permit to keep chickens. Its $5.00 for the permit and a letter from my neighbors stating that they are aware that I am going to keep chickens and that I will address any concerns they have.The letter is required to get the permit.
What do you use for insulating the coops? I am looking to do that and I want to make sure the chickens won't pick at it or eat it.

 

[spook]

HOW TO HOUSE IN COLD AREAS

I'm here in the foothills of Maine and winter is not any more of an issue then over heating in the summer. I have a 4x8 chicken coop, one window that I plastic over, due to it being inside a shed, we tar paper the back side to prevent drafts, and shingled the front to insulate and protect it. Cover the window with plastic, it has a "porch" made from chicken wire, covered with clear plastic so on warm days its like a solar heater. Also we placed a 2 ft long plastic (used clear so light can make it through the door window, this plastic prevents the whole "heat" from wooshing out the door when you open it in the cold. Also, keep adding shavings to moist/dropping areas and let it build up in the winter months as this is insulation where its the coldest. With your roosts, make sure the girls middle toe does not stick out beneath their feathers (perch is wide/round enough), this is when toes get frozen. And last, feed "hot mash" each morning, feed corn, fatty foods (keeps their energy up and warm) and I give them warm water 2 and 3 times a day. (all you need of hot mash is 1 cup feed and equal hot (not boiling) helps them keep warm and laying. Oh ! we have 5 in the house and they faired exceptionally.
I am shocked at how many folks heat and insulate their coops. Chickens can dust up a place and can create a combustable area while using a heater of any kind (not saying you shouldn't, but its just one of my thoughts).

 

[Standard Hen]

Good advice spook,,,I truly believe it is so unhealthy to heat the coops. Chickens were around long before heaters were. And then if you lose your power they are not conditioned for the cold weather at all.
As long as they have shelter and are dry they will fare well with no problems. I put shavings and hay in also and have never had a problem. I also add cracked corn/scratch to their layer pellets to give them extra fuel to keep warm.

 

[the simple life]

Another question please.
Do you run electricity out there as well? I have read that you need to increase light in order for them to lay eggs when the days are shorter.It doesn't seem like alot of people do that though and they still get them to lay.

 

[Standard Hen]

I run extension cords out there from my barn to heat the waterers. I just have to many animals to be banging out frozen buckets plus I work full time and leave in the dark before dawn even arrives! I do not want to have to worry about their water all day because in the dead of winter it will freeze up fast. I do not have light for egg production, my girls lay all winter, maybe not as heavily but I still get eggs everyday.

 

[Bawkadoodledoo]

my coop is SUPREMELY packed with insulation and last winter it was heated. the insulation is removable for the hot summers and there is wire holding them in, but when i took it out there's wire for ventilation.