Minnesota!

[holm25]

How long ago did u get your CCLs?? Am I correct to say you got yours from Triplell? When I move hens from one pen to another they dont lay again for quite a few weeks. This might be what's wrong with yours a big change in housing.

 

[MinnesotaNice]

@MinnesotaNice . If you get a window framed in that might be your fresh air draw while heat and moisture pulls out on that raised wall.

I like that coop link. But even though he's had birds 10 years...over and over again you will hear the recommendation for 2x4s flat side up on this forum for cold climates. For me majority wins. Also like this person I have nest boxes framed 'outside' the main building frame. I sometimes think for us in MN land of frozen cracked eggs that they would have a better chance if nest boxes are within the main structure of the coop. So many great ideas out there. And fun to peruse the coops isn't it?

I did a bit more reading on it and agreed, 2x4 flat side up is the way to go. Can't mess around in MN with these things : ) I didn't even consider the eggs freezing from outside nest boxes - we'll see how having them inside goes this year. We finally got the beast of a coop moved and are insulating and fixing up the floor underneath. Should hopefully have the coop itself looking life a mini fortress by the end of the week. I don't know if we'll get another window framed in, but will get some vents in on the raised wall and some nice sized vents on the lower aspect of the same wall. I should probably put in a coop door, too, huh? Minor details.

Yes, a lot of great ideas out there! It's almost overwhelming at times. Figuring it out as we go....one continuous adventure....LOL

 

[ejb3810]

AmericanKraut, in response to your question regarding Austalorps laying all winter. I don't believe there is any chicken breed that will lay reliably all winter in this climate unless artificial light is provided. and more likely with heated coop as well. Australorps are generally regarded as very productive laying hens. I have never had the breed, but an APA judge I am acquainted with that has won much with them has told me his White Chanteclers are more productive egg layers.

 

[coldupnorth]

Bogtown Chick - Little Sadie has already grown quite a bit in that 1 1/2 weeks. I just love the name you have picked out for her!

 

[MinnesotaNice]

Nordic your Extra Roos will make themselves known one by one who will not be part of your flock. Sounds like #1 has been marked. Our. First 9 birds we had 3 cockerels. #1 was a partridge rock who I really wanted to keep too btw. But even though he was good to us humans he incessantly terrorized the hens. And then i'd see the flock sneaking away from him. #2 was a bantam Cochin and a little love some days. Son of a gun other days. He was great with the kids but made Roger our natural leader run all day long. The boys competed too much and I had bare back hens. Tough decision but he went bye bye too. My husband thought he was great and put in his unwanted two cents. What was left was a New Hampshire with great predator detecting instincts, family friendliness. He's actually like a family dog. Comes into the kitchen and goes to the cracker cupboard, gets his treat and before he poops in the house we kick him out.



Today we had special visitors. They backed right into the garage while it rained outside.

@Bogtown Chick , I'll take all of those puppies ASAP! Adorable. I even see some chocolates in there. Chocolate lab pups = my weakness.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

Those with Cream Legbars (The cool crowd calls the Creamettes here right?) how often are you getting eggs? I'm at about one a week, two at the rare most. She was full-grown when I got her so I'm not sure on her age. Just curious if she's winding down getting old, or just a usual thing for her breed. She's penned with a rooster she adores and they make a racket of mayhem when they're apart. Not sure if that affects her laying. If I'm around them for the day, I see him jazzing it up with her once if at all. She has no signs of feather loss from that or otherwise. Bright eyes and clear nose and legs and healthy. I won't do her in even if she stops laying, she's a sweetie.

And does anyone with Australorps have them laying all winter? I heard they do at about 5 a week but wonder if that includes Minnesota winters. Mine are about 14 weeks so they have awhile to go yet before laying anyway.

@AmericanKraut Mine really picked up here about 2 weeks ago. I'm getting eggs from the two hens every day now. They are free ranging with the flock and have adapted beautifully. I got them St. Patty's day. So that should give you an idea here...what to expect for timing. Give them a good month-6 weeks of adjustment. They have the cutest faces don't they? Their eyes look so big!

I have one Black Australorp and I do not supplement lighting in the winter. One thing she is every once in a while is broody. And a thing about hens that have this tendency is that their laying is very much cyclic and ruled by hormones. (all of them are I guess if they're ovulating

Ha!) Anyways, While she was a first year pullet she was a champ. She is also a hatchery bird and her longevity for laying didn't seem the greatest. She quit on me for a year or so. Then all of a sudden this spring. POW! I've got eggs again. So I'm not sure what her deal was...diet or what. But she's always been a grazer, forager...easy on the feed. She's a puzzle and I'm glad she's worked it out.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

@Bogtown Chick , I'll take all of those puppies ASAP! Adorable. I even see some chocolates in there. Chocolate lab pups = my weakness.

@MinnesotaNice Thank you! & Those chocolates are unspoken for. So if you need me to hook you up, PM me! LOL.

 

[lalaland]

they are adorable puppies!


Two days of broody cages broke two of the broodies...so now I have two left, still in cage. Not a nice way to spend the day! Also had to upset everyone by blocking off the second half of the coop so the broodies didn't sleep in the nests. I tried putting boxes pails and other things ontop of the nests to keep them out but they were frantic and managed to knock everything to the ground so they could be on the nests. So had to resort to shutting the door. There were some very stressed and upset hens that wanted to roost in their normal spot.

Hoping today takes care of it.

 

[The BlanchRanch]

Minnesotanice. Sounds like you are building one hell of a coop. I just have screened windows on the top and cover them but not airtight in the winter. Then the sides on the bottom are not air tight either. This makes for a good flow of air to keep the humidity out to a point where I can keep their water in the coop when it is really cold and last year I had no problems. Below -10 or so I would turn a lizard light on for them.

 

[MinnesotaNice]

@MinnesotaNice Thank you! & Those chocolates are unspoken for. So if you need me to hook you up, PM me! LOL.

Uh oh....don't say that! I would be the one to come home with 5 puppies! Kinda like how I only wanted 3-4 chickens and came home with 21 chicks. We do intend to get a chocolate lab pup next summer - we do a lot of duck/pheasant hunting and our Rottweiler is no good for that! He's really only good for....ummmm....hmmmmm. I'll think of something : ) Our big boy is only a year old, so we're hoping he'll calm down a bit by next summer and adding a pup won't send him over the excitement edge. That, or he needs to brush up on his retrieving and swimming skills.

Here's a pic of him actually holding still when he was 7mo old: