Minnesota!

[jbenson]

Thank goodness for one more 30 degree day this week. I decided I should take advantage and clean out the coop and breeding pen before it gets cold and the flock starts to stay cooped up a bit more. I think I may try to get some plastic sheeting for the run, but if it's near zero tomorrow, no way I will be able to put it on without frostbite, so they might have to deal for the week. The flock willingly ran straight out into the run when I opened the door and I shut them out there to stay out of my way while I was cleaning. No way that would happen in single digit temps. Glad I thought to check the forecast.

Had to add heaters to the water this week for the first time this season - here's hoping they can keep it liquid if we get polar vortex again. I do not enjoy having to bring frozen water in the house and run it under hot water to thaw and then refill and carry them back out full. The coop is just too far from the house for that crap - as I learned last winter. What I really want, but won't be happening for a while, is to run water out to the coop with a heat tape to keep the pipe from freezing. DH says he knows how to do it., but it's not in the budget.

Getting my fill of baby chicks right now. Hatched on Jan 1 for the first time ever. It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be, but I am seeing the effects of the cold on the fertility and viability of eggs more than when I hatch in March/April and this was even a warm December. These ones are all pretty much sold already, so I have another 'bator full already started so I can have fuzzy butts to keep my occupied during the cold months. DH has become a super enabler. He encouraged me to buy a second incubator a couple weeks ago (thus the second set already cooking) and now he's pushing me to put in an order for the chicks I've been eyeing (bantam dark cornish and some more d'Uccle mille fleur for greater genetic diversity in my breeding program). Guess I ought to get the second brooder set up soon as well as figure out where those cornies will go once they get too big for the brooder, since they mature faster than the d'Uccles and they'll be in the house for at least a month (positive DH has not thought of that yet tee hee).

Anyone have experience with bantam cornies? I was reading that they might not be good to keep in a mixed flock. If that's true, I'll need to work on the second coop before spring so they'll have somewhere to go since my main coop has a mixed bantam flock and my breeding pen usually doubles as my grow out pen, but it's not going to be available just yet when they are ready to move outside (and depending on how many we get, they might not fit in there either). DH wants to try breeding them in the future, but also wants to see how well they do as bantam size meat birds (since most of the birds I raise right now are totally show breeds and not meaties).

 

[lalaland]

I am glad it is not going to be as bad as they forecast! 15 below is so much better 25 below.

My chickens seem to move everyday. The difference I see is on the colder days they do not use the covered run, but wait by the door for me to open it.

I think you need a turkey for a pet......I just happen to have a young tom (or 2) I want to part with,,,(HINT HINT)....

I am getting tired of the young teenage tom games, and having to watch my backside whenever I am around them. I wish I had another covered run to lock them away from the hens.

I got ready for the cold by getting cracked corn yesterday, I have 50 bushel now. I just need to get more laying mash and I am set until July!

How have your chickens been doing? Noticing any less problems?

you know I think about getting turkeys, because of the mareks, but you! "having to watch my backside whenever I am around them" is a pretty good reason not to get them!

I had an 18 month old hen start showing neuro signs of mareks - she started high stepping a couple of weeks ago, and then this week was unable to connect with food - would peck next to it, or in the air, and also came down with roup. I had to cull her yesterday.

I've been reading that I should replenish the turkey litter so come spring I will be begging you for the feathers and litter - its the feather and dander stuff that helps. There is a flock of wild turkeys wandering through, I'm thinking of trying to encourage them to hang out by feeding them.

 

[duluthralphie]

you know I think about getting turkeys, because of the mareks, but you! "having to watch my backside whenever I am around them" is a pretty good reason not to get them!

I had an 18 month old hen start showing neuro signs of mareks - she started high stepping a couple of weeks ago, and then this week was unable to connect with food - would peck next to it, or in the air, and also came down with roup. I had to cull her yesterday.

I've been reading that I should replenish the turkey litter so come spring I will be begging you for the feathers and litter - its the feather and dander stuff that helps. There is a flock of wild turkeys wandering through, I'm thinking of trying to encourage them to hang out by feeding them.

If you were to come and get the Tom I do not trust, I would not have to watch my backside.

He is the best looking turkey and I would like to keep him for breeding, BUT he is one attack on my rear, when I am not looking, on a day I am in a bad mood, from becoming Sunday dinner!

I have grabbed him by the neck, pulled his snood, held him down, challenged him when he comes at me, nothing seems to work on him. The funny thing is he kowtows to JJ (my older tom) and JJ gives me a wide berth or walks up to my front to talk and beg, but this one sneaks around like a little ankle biter dog to get me from behind.

Anyways, I think he would look good on the other side of Hwy 65!

 

[lalaland]

lol, wish I could help you out, but........I don't think I trust that tom either

 

[BlackBrookPoultry]

Someone in Siren, WI is looking for a tom (probably not a mean one) she's willing to trade for 2 bourbon red hens. All of her poults this year were hens.

 

[duluthralphie]

Someone in Siren, WI is looking for a tom (probably not a mean one) she's willing to trade for 2 bourbon red hens. All of her poults this year were hens.

I would not use the term "mean" to describe him, I prefer "surly". Or as I call him, Lala's next turkey....

 

[lalaland]

Hah!

Hey it is brutal out there. Most of the hens came out for a bit, but a few stayed in, so I temporarily moved some water and feed into the coop. I will leave for work the next few days at 4:30 am, and I want to be prepared just in case some refuse to leave the coop. I hate having water and feed inside, but sometimes.......

One of last years chicks was inside muttering to herself, trying out nest after nest after nest, so I am hoping for a new egg today.

Staying home just to get the eggs before they freeze today, as there will be nothing but eggsicles for the next few days.

 

[duluthralphie]

Hah!

Hey it is brutal out there. Most of the hens came out for a bit, but a few stayed in, so I temporarily moved some water and feed into the coop. I will leave for work the next few days at 4:30 am, and I want to be prepared just in case some refuse to leave the coop. I hate having water and feed inside, but sometimes.......

One of last years chicks was inside muttering to herself, trying out nest after nest after nest, so I am hoping for a new egg today.

Staying home just to get the eggs before they freeze today, as there will be nothing but eggsicles for the next few days.

So true!

I have not even let mine out yet.

I do keep water and layer mash inside the coop, but I prefer to feed them outside. I see I have one lone rooster in the covered run, the rest are inside. It is brutal as you say. I need to get dressed up and go collect my frozen eggs and let them out. I wonder how many will actually leave the coop today.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

-17 F out there this morning for us. 150 watt flat panel has my coop at a cozy 2 degrees. Brought down a fount of Luke warm water this am. They love that on cold mornings. Warms up the insides I imagine. Stay cozy Mn peeps.

 

[duluthralphie]

I bring my babies ( 3 CX's around 25 weeks old) warm water everyday, they normally coming running for fresh warm water, today they just stayed huddled together.

My chickens all ran outside as if they did not notice the cold and ran to their scratch piles. But the egg production took a hit. I normally let the birds out at 9:15 am and collect about 17-20 eggs, today I got 10.

And on another note. Lala's future (ROFLMBO) tom turkey was a pain in the rear...... cold or not he is a pain. I think he is edging closer to being guest of honor at a Valentines day dinner.