Montana

[Azriel]

Well, looks like Sunday is the day. It will be nice to get some of these extra roos in the freezer. I think we will be doing about 15-20. This will be a 1st for me, if this goes well, I think I'll get some actual meat birds next year, and I would like to try turkeys. I have a friend that will be doing the actual deed, and there will be 2-3 of us plucking and cleaning. Any one interested in a Lav. Orp roo, let me know before Sunday.

 

[skillswife]

Quote:
I miss rusty, I wonder now if I should not have let the neighbors hear him crow lol, hows the crowing, is he doing it yet? Im going to ask if I can buy some of your fertile eggs this spring, I want to put them under one girl if anyone goes broody! did the eggs hatch yet and is rusty a father??

I can certainly sell you some fertile eggs this spring. The eggs have hatched and it doesn't appear rusty is the dad, they look more like our mottled cochins. Rusty is fine, still not crowing yet though.

 

[snowdayzed]

Hello,
I just joined BYC and have had a blast surfing... so much information! This is my first post. It's great to see Montanans on, too. I'm new to raising chickens and got our first batch (31 chicks) from the local farm/ranch store in March. I wasn't even sure if it were possible to raise chickens here in Livingston. As locals know, the wind blows here. Particularly where we live, there aren't even trees. Not much grows except sagebrush and a variety of grass/weeds.

We built a sturdy coop, will insulate it this fall as we get 80+ mph winds and -20+ temps. Our winters last at least 9 months and the wind will create huge snow drifts that, in the past, have snowed us in for up to 2 weeks. Our chickens are allowed to free-range with supervision (wolf, coyote, large cats, golden eagles, bear, etc...) and otherwise stay in a large yard with an 8 foot high chain-linked fence. We scrounged for old wood and we able to build a windbreak on two sides of the yard that stands 10 feet high. All our chickens still have their feathers attached and are laying. We've decided chickens are survivors though we have yet to make it through our first winter with them.

Out of 31 chicks, 8 grew up to be roos. So 6 got the ax. This week 35 meat birds arrive (with 1 free exotic chick). I wondered if that is a free exotic meat chick or regular chick. How does one raise just one bird? It'll be months till we can put her in with the rest of the flock in the coop!

Anyway, that's part of our story. Thank you to BYC for this GREAT site!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wife, mother of 14. We have 2 dogs, 1 cat, 30 fish, 25 chickens (buff orp, slvr-laced wyandott, red star, slvr leghorn, sicilian buttercup, delaware, black Jersey giant, buff plymouth rock, Hew Hamp red, and RI red.

 

[skillswife]

Hello and welcome! I know what you mean about the wind, Dillon is pretty bad too, although we don't generally get the amount of snow you do.

 

[flitter]

I'm not a Montanan but would like to ask an opinion from those of you who raise chickens through a cold, windy winter. What would you consider the best layer breed (with supplemented light) through the winter? I have Doms and Recaps that do quite well.

 

[thechickenchick]

Snowdazed Welcome, welcome welcome!!!

 

[herfrds]

Welcome snowdayzed.

I know about Livingston's wind. Gets pretty nasty blowing through there.

Flitter I would not know. I give my hens a rest during winter. They are too busy staying warm even with a couple of heat lamps to even think about dropping an egg.

 

[thechickenchick]

Quote:
I am with herfrds, I dont' use extra light but, I have noticed that my BOs and my BR don't seem to be affected as much as my other breeds.

 

[karlamaria]

Quote:
I miss rusty, I wonder now if I should not have let the neighbors hear him crow lol, hows the crowing, is he doing it yet? Im going to ask if I can buy some of your fertile eggs this spring, I want to put them under one girl if anyone goes broody! did the eggs hatch yet and is rusty a father??

I can certainly sell you some fertile eggs this spring. The eggs have hatched and it doesn't appear rusty is the dad, they look more like our mottled cochins. Rusty is fine, still not crowing yet though.

Im wondering if he is a real male?? he is well over 20 weeks, heck more like 24 weeks now. if he dos not crow, maybe she is a girl??? i will be contacting you on the eggs, im looking to get at least 4 more girls.

 

[karlamaria]

Quote:
thats a lot of chickens going down LOL, let us know how it went!