Minnesota!

[justplainbatty]

I have 1 heat lamp running in the coop, everybody got Vaseline on their combs to help prevent frostbite, and I gave them some corn and BOSS. I'm going to pick up another heat lamp bulb tomorrow as well.

Let me know if that works, if so that's what I'll do. If not, I can bring all my chickens into my breezeway between the house and garage for a night or two. have never used BOSS. Can I get it at TSC?
Thanks!

 

[Chickenchick11]

Let me know if that works, if so that's what I'll do. If not, I can bring all my chickens into my breezeway between the house and garage for a night or two. have never used BOSS. Can I get it at TSC?
Thanks!

I will. BOSS is just short for black oil sunflower seeds. You can probably get it at TSC or any feed store.

 

[Dandelioness]

Hope the New Year brings all good things to my fellow chicken keepers.  I have learned to keep only breeds that are not impacted by the cold winter temps that we are subject to. Thus no need for heat lamps or heaters.

Which breeds have you found to be the best for MN hardiness?

I have found my silkies, Easter eggers, and production blacks have shown better resistance to frostbite than my leghorns & RIRs - the roos combs especially. I have only kept chickens for 2 winters so far.

 

[jailerjoe]

Which breeds have you found to be the best for MN hardiness?

I have found my silkies, Easter eggers, and production blacks have shown better resistance to frostbite than my leghorns & RIRs - the roos combs especially. I have only kept chickens for 2 winters so far.

I'm new to chickin keeping so I don't have any experience with polishes but I would totally agree with keeping only cold hardy breeds like easter eggers. My two EE's seem totally fine with the cold and they have such small combs I didnt even bother with lubing them up. I thought I'd done enough research prior to getting my chicks last spring but totally blew it on the whole frostbite thing with my other breeds. I'd certainly do it different if I knew then what I now know. :/

 

[Minniechickmama]

Which breeds have you found to be the best for MN hardiness?

I have found my silkies, Easter eggers, and production blacks have shown better resistance to frostbite than my leghorns & RIRs - the roos combs especially. I have only kept chickens for 2 winters so far.

The best breed I have had for our Minnesota climate is Buckeyes. They were bred for cold hardiness. They are my favorite breed in part because of that reason. They are also the perfect dual purpose breed, in my opinion. Good, meaty birds that lay very well for a DP breed. Plus they are calm and non-aggressive birds. They don't have the big combs(they have pea combs) and wattles to worry about frostbite so much. They look smaller than some of the other American class birds, but they are stout and heavier than they look since they are a tighter feathered bird that many others.

 

[ejb3810]

I would agree with Minniechickmama that Buckeyes are a good choice for winter hardiness. Another very good choice is the Chanteclers. They were developed in Canada with cold climate as a factor to consider and are very good egg layers. They come in White, Buff and Partridge color varieties. Any of the breeds with Rose combs or Cushion combs are probably a good choice. Americaunas are a good choice. Birds with large single combs are not a good choice unless in a coop with a heat source.
If you wish to keep bantams the same comb considerations apply. I have had Hamburgs and Sebrights, and they winter well but are targeted by hawks if free ranged in my experience.

 

[duluthralphie]

Bad day today! Colder than, well you know!

My girls seem to be on strike. I kept them in the coop until 11am. When I let them out I noticed only one bird in a nest box. I collected eggs and only had 8, one of which was thin shelled and broke when I picked it up, true I had big clumsy gloves on.

The majority went out as soon as I opened their door. I wonder how long they will stay out?

I saw my oldest Tom has a little frostbite on the tip of his snood. The Turkeys refuse to go inside, except Ethel. but last night a second hen joined Ethel in the coop.

I do not remember if I told this thread about my guinea o0n Monday night. I have/had one guinea that can be a pain in the rear when it comes to going into the coop. Monday night at lock up time it was outside. I tried to chase it into the coop. It started playing guinea fowl games. flying onto the roof of the coop, running from me etc...... So I finally looked at it and told it, " you can stay outside tonight, hopefully you will die!" I was upset at it....

Well. it died. Tuesday morning around 1:30am I got up to make my nightly trip to the boys rooms and saw I had two turkeys under the yard light, which is very unusual. I checked on them they seemed OK but scared. I did not try to run them back to the rest because I did not want to scare the rest off their roosts.

In the morning I went out to check and there was a small amount of remains of the guinea fowl on the ground. There were only bird tracks around the area in the fresh light snow. So I assume it was an owl that got it, beings it occurred in the middle of the night. Hopefully, it was the same guinea that played those keep away games and not all of them taking turns.

 

[lalaland]

sorry aout your guinea hen.

I am just about to go let them out - brought them hot water mash this morning and kept them in. Now the sun is out and there ought to be some sheltered spots in the sun for them. Trouble with keeping them in the coop is all that poop!

thankfully it was a good 10 degrees warmer than we were threatened with!

 

[duluthralphie]

sorry aout your guinea hen.

I am just about to go let them out - brought them hot water mash this morning and kept them in. Now the sun is out and there ought to be some sheltered spots in the sun for them. Trouble with keeping them in the coop is all that poop!

thankfully it was a good 10 degrees warmer than we were threatened with!

warmer, but if really feels raw out there. I am going to go get a couple bags of layer mash today, I am out, not what I want to do today...

 

[Bogtown Chick]

JJ How hard was it to get your birds trained to use the nipples?

My birds are not all that bright, I bought some vertical nipples but am afraid to try it because of the low IQ of my birds.

My birds didn't train to nipple waterers either. I tried only once a couple years ago...and had heard that they will freeze up if there is not enough pressure and use...IDK... I think also I found a method that works for me too, so didn't pursue it any further. Although I think My roo drug his wattles in the water fount his first year and that's how he froze them off. Also a reminder for those that are new to keep roosts lower to avoid broken feet/toes when they jump down. Broken feet/toes have compromised circulation and they will lose them to frostbite. I have found Vaseline of no use to combs/wattles. But bag balm does seem to stick better and give more layer of protection. It solidifies in the cold and doesn't wipe off as easy. Single comb owners expect to lose some of the comb and wattles to frostbite in these temps. Roosters wont tuck their heads. Hens will. ugh...it's cool out there....

I like my buckeye for winter, That bird loves being outside, -10 or whatever.... But I have to tout about my Wyandottes and winter eggs. They have the smallish comb and they are both laying like crazy for me. One is 3 years old and the other is a pullet in her first egg cycle. Everybody else is on "Winter Break".

Sorry about your Guinea Ralphie.