Minnesota!

[Minniechickmama]

mnhomestead, that is really a gorgeous icelandic! now, pics of the pullets?

and miniechickmama, have you had bad experiences with icelandics and sfh? I have one icelandic pullet, she is skittish as heck. Love the way sfh look. I'm going to have to look up the norwegian jaerhons - thats a breed I have never heard of. so many chicken breeds!

No, I have no experience with them, just don't see them as appealing. I like the breeds and varieties I have and I am good. There are a couple of breeds I don't have but might like to one day, but for now, the 12 or so I have are good for me. I want to work these into better quality each year and know I am getting people some good birds. Plus, there are some great breeds here in the US that were 'made in the USA', like the Buckeyes that are a very overlooked breed that deserves some attention. They were made for places like Minnesota where it is cold and they can handle it, and they are such a wonderful dual purpose breed too!
I am going to work on expanding the New Hampshire Reds in this part of the country too, they are just gorgeous birds that are now starting to make a comeback in popularity after getting some bloodlines in from Germany where they really bred them well over the last 60+ years.
Here is one of the cockerels I have here and that I took to Hutchinson a couple of weeks ago. He didn't do well, but that was my fault because he was in the sun all summer and it ruined his feathering (live and learn, he will molt ). That is a Buckeye pullet behind him.

 

[coldupnorth]

Quote: Your GNH is handsome and I love the Buckeyes, too. I'm glad that you are raising the Buckeyes because they are a great dual purpose bird and seem to do well in Minnesota. I don't have any Buckeyes (someday, maybe). I do have some really nice GNHs that I plan on breeding for 4H next year. Mine are so sweet and gentle! I love the rooster's deep sounding crow.

There are so many breeds out there that it is hard to decide what you really want to raise and do a good job raising.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

No, I have no experience with them, just don't see them as appealing. I like the breeds and varieties I have and I am good. There are a couple of breeds I don't have but might like to one day, but for now, the 12 or so I have are good for me. I want to work these into better quality each year and know I am getting people some good birds. Plus, there are some great breeds here in the US that were 'made in the USA', like the Buckeyes that are a very overlooked breed that deserves some attention. They were made for places like Minnesota where it is cold and they can handle it, and they are such a wonderful dual purpose breed too!
I am going to work on expanding the New Hampshire Reds in this part of the country too, they are just gorgeous birds that are now starting to make a comeback in popularity after getting some bloodlines in from Germany where they really bred them well over the last 60+ years.
Here is one of the cockerels I have here and that I took to Hutchinson a couple of weeks ago. He didn't do well, but that was my fault because he was in the sun all summer and it ruined his feathering (live and learn, he will molt ). That is a Buckeye pullet behind him.

I'm in love with your NH roo!!!!

I have a NH roo that I love dearly that leads my flock...but that boy right there...OMG. He is a stunner.
How old is he? Love the New Hamps!!!

He looks beautiful.

This is our Roger, as a cockerel last summer.



They were never on my radar or "list" when I went to get chicks. I'm happy with him though beyond what I ever imagined.

 

[ejb3810]

With many of these breeds it is not much of a concern regarding comb size if all you keep is hens. but if you are going to overwinter roosters in the north then a coop must be warm to prevent damage to combs. Humidity is definitely a contributing factor, but when it is -20 to -30 then the cold does damage in any environment.
I prefer the breeds with pea, rose or cushion combs. The Chantecler being a breed developed in Quebec for cold environment, and they are very good winter egg layers with a dual purpose carcass.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

ejb: You are exactly right. Roger does not look like this anymore after last winter! Lesson learned there. That being said I still love my New Hamp. He'll be less high maintenance this winter.

And we know we wont win any shows. We have a New Hampshire hen and she is a champ egg layer...docile, friendly, like Roger.

 

[lalaland]

well, this is funny and maybe you have heard about this local egg company up in wrenshall. they are in a contest to get a free ad during the superbowl You vote by clicking, don't have to fill anything out.
take a look! https://www.smallbusinessbiggame.com/#MN/Locally-Laid-Egg-Company/382873

 

[Minniechickmama]

Your GNH is handsome and I love the Buckeyes, too. I'm glad that you are raising the Buckeyes because they are a great dual purpose bird and seem to do well in Minnesota. I don't have any Buckeyes (someday, maybe). I do have some really nice GNHs that I plan on breeding for 4H next year. Mine are so sweet and gentle! I love the rooster's deep sounding crow.

There are so many breeds out there that it is hard to decide what you really want to raise and do a good job raising.

Thanks! Bucks are my favorite breed and the ones I am concentrating the most on getting noticed. In Ohio they are well-known, but out here they are still few and far between. I would love to set you up with some for 4-H or just for enjoyment! My kids get the first hatches for 4-H, but after that it is first come first serve and I try to get 4-Hers filled from the earliest hatches. I had a couple of kids place Grand and Reserve in their counties last year with them. I think these are going to do even better in the future.
I didn't originally have NH in mind, I started with some hatchery ones from McMurray for my son for his 4-H project, but wanted better quality. Then about 3 years ago, there were some from this line I have now on here for auction and they were so gorgeous I had to have some. I had to get rid of my rooster from last year because he was too hen protective, but none of these I have now seem to have that problem. I did combine a pen that is from two lines, but both have the German breeding lines in them.
It IS hard to decide what to keep and what to let go! I have had over 30 breeds that I have tried on and now have just what is on my sig line. I also breed LF Dark Cornish, but until I have a big enough breeding flock, I won't be selling any of those. I may have some White Laced Reds also in a year or two.
This is such an addictive thing to get into, I would say hobby, but for me it is more of a lifestyle. It is my job, but I love it more than any job I have ever had in my life other than being a mom.
When you are ready to try some Buckeyes, you give me a call!

 

[Minniechickmama]

I'm in love with your NH roo!!!!

I have a NH roo that I love dearly that leads my flock...but that boy right there...OMG. He is a stunner.
How old is he? Love the New Hamps!!!

He looks beautiful.

This is our Roger, as a cockerel last summer.



They were never on my radar or "list" when I went to get chicks. I'm happy with him though beyond what I ever imagined.

I have had my eye on this particular bird since he was about 3-months old. He is now 10-months. I have a couple more that are younger and just starting to fill out that my even be better than this one. I did take this guy to show, but he was so sun faded that he wasn't going to get anything. I would like to clean up his comb with a couple fewer spikes and bring his tail angle up more too, so he may not be my best breeding option this year, but we will see.

 

[Minniechickmama]

Big combs and cold? I do not add heat. I know it gets a bit colder up in the northern part of the state, and I do like my smaller combed Buckeyes (also have a pea comb specifically for cold weather climates), but I run an open air building and even have some birds out all winter (with coops available that I do make them go into at night). I raise Black Minorcas, and this picture is from when they were still on the younger side, maybe 8-months.

I have problems with them getting frostbite on their wattles from drinking out of the heated dog bowl. I am trying to get a heated nipple watering system set up for this year. These two did not get much frostbite on their combs at all, just a tiny bit on the very tips, and they didn't get that until it thawed, got humid, and then froze hard again. The outdoor roosters got frostbite, but there again, they had gotten wet from being out on slushy warmer days, went into the coop when it got cold and they got some frostbite on their combs.
The only one inside this building in the picture, that got any real bad frostbite was my Welsummer who got a big fight with another rooster just as it got cold, and his scabbed comb froze bad, as did his wattles.
Especially small coops, I always advise to NOT add heat.

 

[mnhomestead]

Here is my other sfh hen: